The Littlest Snowflake and How She Grew
by Nate Grey
Summary: Jubilee searches for a way to bring little Illyana out of her shell. Could the answer lie within the mysterious mutant psi, Nate Grey?
1. Stranger in a Storm

Author's Note: After watching the X-Men Movie for the fourth or fifth time, and reading Dyce's "The Godless Among Them" arc even more times, I got inspired.  Then I saw the latest movie, and KNEW I had to do this story, since poor lil' Yana didn't get any facetime…at least her big brother got to be a hero!  

If you liked "The New Kid" series, you'll probably like this…maybe.  Same formula (Nate crashing into a school), different result (you won't even be able to tell the plot's recycled by the end!).

The title is a pun on a book about a certain BIG Red Dog that my baby cousin adores.

Continuity: Takes place after Piotr arrived at the school, but before Stryker's invasion.  So…maybe five minutes before the second movie…?  (::giggles gleefully at the ultra-cool Nightcrawler fight scene:: )

~…~ are thoughts/telepathic speech.

Summary: Jubilee searches for a way to bring little Illyana Rasputin out of her shell.  Does the answer lie within the mysterious Nate?  

The Littlest Snowflake (and How She Grew…)

An X-Men Movie-verse Fanfiction by:

Nate Grey (XMAN0123@aol.com)

Chapter 1: Stranger in a Storm

Jubilee sighed and glanced out of her window, watching lightning race across the night sky.  She truly did enjoy attending Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, but she was a mallrat at heart.  Unfortunately, today's outing to the mall with a few other students (Marie, Kitty, Illyana, Piotr, and Bobby) had been promptly canceled as soon as the surprise thunderstorm had appeared.  So Jubilee, for all intents and purposes, was disappointed and somewhat bummed.  

On the inside, anyway.

Outside, she was only disappointed and somewhat bored.  She had to be, for little Illyana's sake.

Since she had come to the school with her older brother three months ago, Illyana Rasputin had made very few friends.  This was partially because she had a bad habit of hiding behind the tree trunks of solid muscle that served as her brother's legs.  The only ones she ever really talked to were Piotr, Jubilee, Storm, and Professor Xavier.  She depended heavily on her brother for protection, comfort, and pretty much all aspects of her happiness.  Jubilee was there for friendship and "feminine talks" (which were very awkward, but she figured it was better than sending the poor kid to Dr. Grey), while Storm and Xavier provided emotional and mental counseling, respectively.  Illyana was shy to a fault, and hardly even spoke to those four.

Despite Xavier's claims that Illyana had not yet manifested a mutant power, Jubilee suspected she might be an empath.  The small girl seemed to have a gift for knowing what someone else was feeling…and, in turn, feeling it herself.  Illyana had gone on a week-long hunger strike, only minutes after Jubilee had wondered if she was getting fat.  Since then, Jubilee had learned to hide her emotions quite well.  The negative ones, anyway.

"It is your turn, Jubilee," Piotr said, breaking into her thoughts.

Jubilee blinked and looked at him.  "Oh.  Right."  She glanced at the cards in her hand.  "Gimme two."  She paused to check on Illyana, who was sitting in Piotr's lap, half-hidden by his large arms.  "You okay, Yana?" she asked quietly.  

Illyana shook her head and gripped her brother's arm a little tighter.

Because of the storm, Jubilee had decided on two small electric lamps, instead of turning on all the lights, as she usually did.  She assumed it was the dim lighting that bothered Illyana.  "Hey, what's wrong?  I thought we got we past that 'scared-of-the-dark' stuff."

"We did," Illyana whispered, her big blue eyes shifting back and forth nervously.

"Then what's the problem?" Jubilee asked.  She picked up two cards, looked at them, and frowned.  "Crap!"

"My sister does not like storms," Piotr explained, gently kissing the top of Illyana's head.  "There was a thunderstorm the night we…left home." 

Jubilee nodded, understanding dawning on her.  Piotr and Illyana had come to the school because at least one of them was a mutant, and because they truly had nowhere else to go.  Jubilee wasn't quite sure how it had happened, but she got the idea that the circumstances surrounding the deaths of their parents were very unpleasant.  She could relate, and tried to avoid bringing it up.

Tried, anyway.

"Sorry," Jubilee apologized.  She reached over and patted the little girl's leg.  "It's just light and a lot of noise, Yana.  Nothin' to be worried about, right?"

Illyana didn't look convinced, but attempted to relax.  "Okay," she whispered.

Jubilee flashed her a warm smile.  "Good girl.  Now do me a favor and take a look at your brother's hand.  I've never lost THIS bad before…"

* * * * *

"Professor?" a gentle voice asked from the doorway.

"Yes, Ororo?" Charles Xavier asked, looking up from his papers.

"I am…worried about Illyana."

"Worried?" Xavier asked, gesturing towards the chair in front of his desk.

Ororo smiled appreciatively and sat down.  "Well…I am concerned.  As you know, I've been counseling her, and I'm afraid that she will continue to isolate herself from the other students." 

"I understand your concern, but we can hardly force Illyana to interact with the students.  Above all, she must be comfortable.  If she is not, Piotr will not hesitate to take her somewhere else."

"That's another thing, Professor.  Illyana must realize that Piotr may not be there every minute of her life.  She has to know how to fend for herself."

"I agree, Ororo.  That is partially why I placed her in a room with Jubilee.  Hopefully, some of her independence will rub off on Illyana.  Still, I do think that-"  He stopped and frowned.

"What is it, Professor?" Ororo asked.

"For a moment…I felt an…unfamiliar presence on the psychic plane.  Possibly a mutant triggering his gifts for the first time.  Now, however, it is gone."  He sighed and placed a hand on his forehead.  "Still, it requires some investi-"  He trailed off, suddenly looking shocked.

"Professor?"  Ororo leaned forward.  "Are you-"

Charles Xavier groaned and collapsed across his desk.

"Professor!"  Ororo's highly-praised ability to stay calm in the face of uncertainty wavered a bit as she rushed to his side.  Closing her eyes, she ordered her thoughts.  ~Jean?  Can you hear me?  This is an emergency!~

The reply came almost instantly.  ~I'm here, Ororo.  What's wrong?~

~Something's happened to Professor Xavier!  He said he sensed something on the psychic plane, and then he collapsed!  What should I do?~

~Yes, I felt it, too.  Get him to the infirmary.  I'll meet you there.~  There was a slight pause.  ~Don't worry, Ororo.  I'm sure he'll be fine.  There is precious little that can seriously harm his mind.~  

* * * * *

"This is so not my night," Jubilee sighed.  "Petey, you sure you ain't cheatin'?"

The big Russian smiled.  "Perish the thought, my friend."

"Piotr doesn't cheat," Illyana agreed, her blonde head emerging from behind one of her brother's large arms.

"Thank you, little snowflake," Piotr said, stroking her hair.  "I could not have a better spokesperson."

"Yeah, yeah."  Jubilee frowned.  "Maybe we should play a card game I can actually spell next time…"

Illyana giggled.  "That's because you don't speak Russian."

"And I'm not gonna learn just so this big lug can beat me at MORE card games."  Jubilee finally put down her cards.  "Okay, I quit, you win.  Time to play somethin' I can't lose at."

"Like what?" Piotr asked.

Jubilee was just about to introduce them to her Playstation when the lamps went out, plunging the room into darkness.

 Jubilee muttered something under her breath as she fumbled around her dresser for a flashlight.  "Not scared, right, Yana?"

"Right," Illyana whimpered none too confidently.

"Don't be frightened, snowflake," Piotr said reassuringly.  "I have you."

"Hey, come on!" Jubilee protested.  "You said we got past the 'scared-of-the-dark' stuff!"

"Yes," Illyana agreed quietly.  "But not the 'scared-of-the-dark-during-a-storm' stuff."

"Great."  Jubilee's fingers closed around something even better than a flashlight.  "Okay, I can take care of the dark part."  

The battery-powered camping lantern buzzed and flickered on, bathing the room in an eerie green glow.

"There, see?  No more dark."  Jubilee sat down beside Piotr.  "It'll probably just take a few minutes before the lights come back on.  And we're not scared, are we?"

Illyana stopped trembling and looked up.  "But the storm-"

"Isn't going to hurt us, Yana."  Jubilee gave her hand a squeeze.  "Besides, nothing could get past your big brother, anyway."

The words were barely out of Jubilee's mouth when the window directly behind her shattered.  She had just enough time to turn around and see the dark shape, surrounded by hundreds of tiny glass shards, hurtling straight for her.  All she could really do was close her eyes and hope it wasn't very heavy.

Instead, Jubilee felt something warm against the front of her neck, and something cool against the back of it.  Then there was a loud thump a few feet away, and silence, save for the storm.  A few seconds later, she slowly opened her eyes.

Thankfully, the warmth on her neck wasn't blood; it was only Illyana, who was clinging to her tightly.  Jubilee hugged the small girl and glanced up.  The hulking figure of Piotr was bent over her, his armored skin gleaming in the pale moonlight.

"Snowflake?  Jubilee?  Are you hurt?" he asked, concern in his tone.

"Nah, we're okay," Jubilee said, stroking Illyana's hair.  "Just a little startled.  And thanks, Petey."

"Of course."  He straightened a bit, eyes narrowed.  "What is that?"

Jubilee followed his gaze and gasped.  Lying next to the lantern was the dark shape that had come through the window.  "I don't know."

Fortunately, the lamps flickered on at that moment. 

Illyana glanced up at the older girl.  "Jubilee?"

"Yeah, Yana; I know.  You never have to listen to ME again…"

Piotr stood up and stepped over to the lantern in a few giant strides.

Jubilee swallowed noisily.  "Uh…Petey, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Neither do I, but we can't just leave it there."  Piotr squatted and poked at the object.  A few seconds later, he announced in disbelief, "It's a person.  A young man, probably around my age."

"Why didn't he come through the door then?" Illyana asked, clearly confused.

"I do not think he wished to come through the window, snowflake."  He glanced back at them.  "Jubilee, come see." 

Jubilee blinked.  "Um…why?"

"You have a better chance of knowing him than I do.  You've been here longer."

"Oh.  Right.  I guess."  Making sure to keep Illyana's face pressed to her shoulder, Jubilee slowly walked over to Piotr and looked down for a long minute.  "Well, I've never seen him before, but is he…?"

"Da.  He has a pulse, and there isn't too much…liquid."  He glanced at his younger sister uneasily.

"Ah."  Jubilee patted Illyana's back.  "I guess we should call someone."

"Da.  That would be wise."

Jubilee closed her eyes.  ~Jean…er, Dr. Grey?  We've got…a small problem…~

* * * * *

Jean Grey sighed and leaned against the counter.  Never before had the infirmary been so popular, not even when Logan had started "sparring" with Scott.  Yet, for some reason, she now had two patients.  Both were mutants, both were unconscious, and both were telepaths, but she was only familiar with one.

She'd found Piotr and Jubilee huddled around the boy.  Thankfully, Jubilee had had the good sense to keep Illyana from seeing him.  There wasn't much blood, but then, it didn't take much to upset Illyana.  With Logan's help, they'd gotten him to the infirmary in record time, not that it really mattered.  There was little more they could do than clean the scratches and wait for him to wake up.  The latter in itself was fairly boring and quite nerve-wracking.  At least, for Jean it was.

Logan, on the other hand, was not exactly a patient man, but had amused himself by guessing what the boy's first reaction would be upon waking.  He'd decided on blinking rapidly and trying to kill them both.  It wasn't exactly optimistic, but he was itching for a good fight, and frankly, it was the first thing HE'D done after waking up in the infirmary.

"Think he'll be a problem, Red?"

"I don't know, Logan.  All I really know is that he has psychic powers and an unusual way of making his presence known."

Logan grunted.  "You know us macho types.  Nothin' better than a big entrance."

"Apparently."  She paused and looked at the boy.  "But there is something strangely familiar about him."

"Like what?"

She shook her head.  "I'm not sure.  Just a feeling I have."

Without warning, the boy's eyelids twitched.

Logan instantly went into a crouch, ready for anything.

The boy's eyes drifted open.

"Don't be afraid," Jean said soothingly, leaning over the bed.  "You're safe here."

The boy's eyes focused on her face, but he said nothing.

"My name is Jean, and this is Logan."

Finally, the boy blinked.  "Where am I?" he whispered hoarsely.

"Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters in Westchester.  More specifically, the infirmary."

His eyes shifted warily to Logan, and then went back to Jean.  "How did I get here?"

"You crashed through the window of a student's room."

"Oh."  His eyes went back to Logan, and he offered somewhat hesitantly, "…Sorry."

"It's okay," Jean reassured him.  "No real harm done.  But we would like to know more about you.  Your name, for example."

He stared at her for a long moment.  "Nate," he said at last.

"Well, Nate, you're welcome to stay here as long as you want.  As soon as you're feeling up to it, I'd be more than happy to give you the grand tour."

Nate glanced at Logan one last time, and then closed his eyes.  "Fine."  Within seconds, he was asleep again.

"That was easy," Logan remarked, sounding a little disappointed.

"For now," Jean added, sighing.  "But it almost never stays that way…"

* * * * *

"I want to see him."

Jubilee slowly opened her eyes.  Her gaze focused on the tiny figure next to her bed, and she sighed.  "Yana, this is so NOT a good time to talk.  It's…"  She squinted at the digital clock on her nightstand.  "TWO in the morning?!"

"But I want to see him!"

"See WHO?!"

"Window Boy."

In her groggy state, it took Jubilee 5.7 seconds to make the connection.  "Window Boy" was actually "Boy Who Crashes Through Windows."  A terrible Indian name, but certainly descriptive enough.  "Oh.  Um…maybe later, Yana.  Okay?"

"When?" Illyana pressed.

Jubilee sighed again, and then remembered something Mr. Summers had mentioned to her.  What was it again?  Ah, yes.  Positive reinforcement…or something like that.  "Look, kiddo.  In the morning, I want you to go out and make a new friend.  Then you come back to me, tell me their name, and three things you learned about them.  If you can do that each day, you get to see Window Boy.  The more you do it, the longer you get to see him.  Deal?"

Illyana considered that for a moment, and then nodded.  "Deal."

"Good.  And each time you DON'T wake me up at this ungodly hour, I'll share my jellybean stash with you.  Are we clear?"

"Okay."  There was a long pause, but the child didn't move.

Jubilee groaned.  "Lemme guess.  Another nightmare, and your own bed isn't safe anymore."

Illyana nodded again, looking disgustingly adorable as she tightly squeezed her teddy bear.

Wordlessly, Jubilee rolled to the left.  She waited until the teddy bear (which, for some reason or another, was named Miko) was pressed into her side, and then wrapped an arm around the child.  

Illyana snuggled closer, resting her head against Jubilee's shoulder before murmuring, "Thank you."

Jubilee's reply was a near audible grunt as she closed her eyes and tried to get back to sleep.


	2. Meeting Window Boy

Notes: For anyone who wondered, Illyana's bear is named after someone.  It was called Niko at first, but Miko is more fitting for the story.  If you didn't care, pay more attention to the bear.

Chapter 2: Meeting Window Boy

"Professor, are you sure this is a good idea?" Ororo asked.

"I appreciate the concern, but I assure you that I am fine," Xavier repeated for the third time.  "Last night was merely the result of an unusual ripple in the psychic plane…one I believe was caused by this boy."

All eyes turned to the boy, who hadn't awakened since the previous night.

"So the kid's a telepath, too?" Logan asked.

"That's right, Logan, and one of the first order, as well.  In fact, in terms of raw power, he may even be stronger than myself."

"Are you certain, sir?" Scott asked, looking doubtful.

"Not really, Scott.  I can't be sure until he wakes up, and even then, I won't perform any tests without his consent.  The last thing we want is for him to see us as enemies."

"Why would he?" Ororo asked.  "We've only helped him so far."

"That is true, but think about it, everyone," Jean said.  "It's taken the Professor most of his life to control and master his powers.  If this boy is even stronger, at his age, it's safe to assume he doesn't have full control of his gifts, especially after last night.  Given that, he could be a danger to everyone, including himself.  Having that kind of power could drive any unprepared person to the brink of insanity, and beyond it."  Jean paused and glanced at the boy.  "In other words, we have to be prepared for anything."

* * * * *

"Hi!"

Marie blinked and raised her head, momentarily putting _Romeo and Juliet_ aside.  "Oh.  Hi, Illyana."

Illyana flopped down beside her on the grass, coming dangerously close to having everything about her absorbed.  "Reading?"

"Yeah…"  Marie moved away a few inches and automatically pulled her sleeves down a little more.  "So.  Is there something you'd like to talk about?"  She settled back against her tree and tried not to seem too annoyed by the disturbance.

"Oh.  Yes."  Illyana thought for a moment.  "You."

Marie blinked several times.  "Me?"

Illyana nodded.  "Tell me about Rogue…or Marie, whichever you like."

"Oh.  Okay."  For some reason, Marie couldn't think of a single thing about herself at the moment.  So she stalled.  "Um…why?"

"So Jubilee will take me to see Window Boy."

"Oh.  THAT makes sense."

Illyana nodded, missing the sarcasm in the older girl's voice.  "So tell me about you."

"Well, let's see.  I like to read, shop, and-"

"Thanks!"

Marie blinked and looked up to see Illyana running back towards the school.  "Hmm.  I could ask, but…"  She shook her head and went back to her book.

* * * * *

Biology had never been Jubilee's strong point, and the only reason she had a good grade was because of her good teacher.  So she was understandably worried when Ms. Munroe started off the afternoon class with:

"Today, Dr. Grey will be giving you a special lecture.  I advise you to take notes, as you will be tested on this material."

There were more than a few groans; apparently Jubilee was not the only student who didn't look forward to hearing Jean drone on.

Kitty raised her hand.  "What's this lecture on?"

Ororo smiled.  "I'm glad you asked, Kitty.  Jean will focus on telepathic abilities, and ones to be wary of in particular."

There was instantly renewed interest all over the classroom.

"She's not gonna test us by tossing psi-bolts, is she?" Bobby asked fearfully.

"Of course not.  She wouldn't do that unless you were properly prepared."  That line earned a few worried faces, but Ororo went on.  "The reason for this lecture is…we may have a new student soon, and he has… incredible psychic talents."

"You mean he can read minds like Professor X?" Theresa Rourke asked.

"More than likely.  Until we've had a chance to confirm his mutant powers, I must ask you all to stay away from the infirmary.  We have not yet had the chance to explain to him that this is a school for mutants, and he might react negatively to such a large number of you crowding around him.  That's another reason for the lecture.  We want you to be fully aware of how to behave around a wary telepath."

"This guy sounds kinda dangerous," Bobby murmured.

"He very well could be, if he were startled.  Just as any of you could."  Ororo made sure not to turn her eyes on Marie, who was fidgeting self-consciously next to Bobby.  "All the more reason for you to pay close attention to the lecture.  I have no doubt you'll learn something useful to apply in the near future."

* * * * *

Logan was really starting to hate Xavier.

Granted, he owed the man a great deal, and life would be fairly boring if he hadn't joined the X-Men.  

But they had both agreed, up front, that he was only posing as a teacher.  There were a multitude of things that Logan could've taught, but Xavier had deemed very few of them "fitting" for a young mutant's education.  

It was not Logan's fault that people didn't see the value in showing a dying man his still-beating heart anymore.  The times had changed, he supposed.

For the longest time, he was convinced that he wouldn't change.  You just didn't compromise a living weapon and thrust it into a bunch of mostly innocent kids.

But now he had been reduced to babysitting.  That alone was bad enough.  

It just had to be Illyana, the cutest one of the whole bunch.  Logan could practically feel his manhood dying every single time she squeezed his finger, which was a lot more often that he would've preferred.  He suspected it was Ororo's fault; she was the only one the munchkin listened to, as well as one of the few teachers who would ever bother to paint him in a positive light.

And maybe he could've resisted growling, if she hadn't insisted on bring that silly stuffed bear of hers.  Logan could swear the stupid thing was grinning at him the whole way down to the infirmary.

Thankfully, the instant they were inside, Illyana released him and ran straight to Nate's bedside.  Logan thought about telling her not to get too close, but he knew it was pointless.  The look of wonder in Illyana's eyes as she gazed up at him was unmistakable.  He had no idea why this boy fascinated her so, especially since they'd never even met.  Perhaps it was just a curiosity in the unknown and nothing more.  Or maybe it was puppy love at first sight.  Whatever it was, Logan didn't think it could be too healthy at her age.

"Hi," Illyana whispered to the boy.  "You awake?"

There was no reply; Nate woke up only once every day, and always at different times.  Nobody but Logan noticed the kid only woke up when Jean was around, and he didn't think it was a coincidence, either.

"Guess not," she murmured.  "Well, I'm Illyana, but my friends call me Yana.  It's shorter."  She paused and smiled hopefully.  "You can call me Yana, too.  If you ever wake up."

Logan shook his head slightly, but remained silent in his corner.

"It's really nice here.  The teachers, the students, the food…all of it.  Everyone's really nice."  Illyana leaned closer, as if Nate were whispering to her.  "Oh, that's Mr. Logan.  Don't worry, he's not so bad.  A little scary at first, but you get used to him."  

"C'mon, short stuff," Logan growled irritably.  "Time's up."

"Mr. Logan says I gotta go now."  Illyana reached up and tucked her black bear under Nate's arm.  "You can borrow Miko for a while.  He'll protect you when you're scared."  She patted his hand gently.  "I'll come back as soon as I make some more friends.  Promise."

* * * * *

Jean was somewhat surprised when she opened her door and found Piotr standing there.

"Are you busy, Dr. Grey?" he asked at once.

"No, I was just thinking," Jean replied.  "Come in, have a seat."

Piotr nodded his thanks and chose a chair by the window.  "Illyana told me about your lecture."

Jean paused.  "How did she…?"

"Jubilee."

"Ah."  Jean was still a bit confused.  "You came to talk about the lecture…?"

"Not exactly.  I am…confused.  It seems as if you are teaching the students to be wary of this…Nate.  Why?"

"Try to understand, Piotr.  Any mutant can be very dangerous if they can't control their powers.  Some can be even more dangerous if they do know how to.  We're simply taking precautions to protect the students and Nate.  No one's labeling him a threat, but we can't just allow him to roam the school without knowing something about him first.  Professor Xavier…hasn't had a chance to do an in-depth scan of his mind yet."

"I do not recall being treated in such a manner when I came to the school."

Jean smiled.  "That was very different, Piotr.  Professor Xavier found you with Cerebro, and you had already proven yourself to be decidedly non-hostile before we arranged to meet you.  Don't forget that you and Illyana were invited here.  You didn't crash through a window."

"I just don't think it fair to say such things about him.  If he is as powerful a telepath as you say, he has probably already sensed the distrust.  How can you be so sure he won't leave the moment he's able to?"

"We just have to hope that our hospitality so far will have been enough to convince him to stay."  Jean shook her head slightly.  "We'll make every attempt to make Nate comfortable, so long as it doesn't compromise the safety of the other students."

"I think I understand, Dr. Grey."  Piotr stood up and moved to the door.  "But might I make a suggestion?"

"Of course."

"There is one thing I know for sure of mutants.  Treating a mutant like a living weapon will often cause them to act like one.  If Nate does decide to stay, please let him know I would be happy to share my room with him."

* * * * *

Jubilee couldn't explain it, but there was something different about Illyana that night.  The girl didn't act any different, or talk any more than she normally did, so it was nothing immediately noticeable.  Even when Jubilee brushed Illyana's long, golden hair for her, she couldn't put her finger on anything unusual.

But as Illyana climbed into bed, Jubilee instantly knew what—or who—was missing.

"Hey, Yana…where's your bear?" Jubilee asked.

Illyana looked up in momentary confusion, before Jubilee's question finally dawned on her.  "Oh.  I let Nate borrow Miko."

Jubilee blinked.  "Who?"

"Window Boy," Illyana clarified as Jubilee tucked her in.

"Oh.  Why'd you do that?"

Illyana shrugged.  "He looked so lonely.  And I didn't want him to be scared."

Jubilee arched an eyebrow.  "I thought YOU were the one who couldn't sleep without a friend."  She started to go to her own bed.  "You can borrow Tweety, if you want."

"That's okay," Illyana said, closing her eyes.  "I'll be fine."

Jubilee stopped in disbelief, her hand already closed around the smiling yellow bird.  "You sure?"

"Mmm-hmm," Illyana murmured sleepily.

When Jubilee turned back, Illyana's breathing had slowed, and she gave every appearance of being asleep already.  With a smile, Jubilee leaned over and kissed the girl's cheek.  "Night, Yana," she whispered before turning off the light.


	3. The Incredible Intangible Window Boy

Chapter 3: The Incredible Intangible Window Boy 

"I have to say I still don't agree with this, Professor," Scott Summers repeated as the group headed for the infirmary.

"I know that, Scott," Xavier replied patiently.  "But I have hope Nate will cooperate, so long as I ask before attempting to scan his mind."

"And what about the mental backlash you said he caused when he arrived?" Ororo asked.

Xavier tapped his chin lightly.  "That was a mental equivalent of…making 'elbow room', I think.  Some telepaths like to occupy a certain amount of 'space' on the psychic plane, and Nate was reclaiming his.  I would guess he's not used to being around other telepaths, and certainly not two at once.  All the more reason we should explain how things work around the school."

"And if he decides to be hostile?" Jean asked quietly.

"Then we can only hope that the psi-dampeners in the infirmary can contain his powers, Jean.  If not, I will need your assistance to calm him."

Jean honestly didn't like the idea of controlling Nate, especially if he was as powerful as she suspected.  However, she had no idea that her worry was quite pointless.

For when they entered the infirmary, all they found was the bed where Nate should've been, and a decidedly unfunny note that read: "To Whom It May Concern:  Had an Errand to Run.  Back Soon.  Sincerely, Nate."

* * * * *

Kitty Pryde did not consider herself a morning person.  It honestly took quite a bit to get her going in the morning, and she knew that better than anyone else.  

Her alarm clock didn't suffice, as all it took was an intangible finger to quiet it.

So Kitty had made a habit of phasing through the ceiling and getting an eyeful of the rising sun to wake her up quickly and properly.  The phasing itself took a certain amount of attention, as did making sure she didn't get caught in an early morning wind and fly off.

And since it was morning and the roof, she never ran into anyone else.

Kitty was clearly shocked when she phased through the roof this morning and came face to face with a boy.  Fortunately, she was still intangible, and considering how fast he was moving at the time, he would've passed through her with little effect to either of them.

However, they both stopped in midair, studying each other with curiosity and some mild alarm.

Kitty caught her breath first.  "Hi," she hazarded, backing up a pace.

"Morning," he offered warily, absently tightening his grip on the black stuffed bear under his left arm.

Kitty's gaze drifted to the bear, and combining that with the fact she'd never seen the boy before, made an educated guess.  "Nice to meet you, Nate…?" she continued, stretching out her hand.

"Ditto, Kitty," he replied at once, shaking her hand firmly.

She blinked.  "How…?"

"Sorry.  Reflex, really."  Nate quickly withdrew his hand.  "Could you tell me where I could find-"

"Illyana?  Down the hall, make a right, second door on the left."

"Ah.  Thanks."  He paused uncertainly.  "Sorry to meet and run, but I am in a hurry, and…"

"S'okay," Kitty interrupted.  "I was just going for a morning wal—er…flight."

"Cool," he said approvingly.  "Me, too.  Maybe we could go together sometime.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a bear to return."  With that, he dove through the roof and was gone.

Since there was no sonic scream from her roommate, Kitty assumed that Theresa wasn't up yet, which was probably a good thing.  Witnessing Kitty phasing through their door had drawn such a reaction for the first week they'd roomed together, which, fortunately, had helped Kitty learn that intangible people didn't hear as good as tangible ones did.  There was a trick to focusing enough to become intangible while Theresa was wailing, but it had pretty much become instinct for Kitty now.  She was getting to the point where she could watch Terry's mouth and phase out a split-second before the painful sound waves hit.

Honestly, it was pretty easy, as Terry had a big mouth, anyway.

* * * * *  

Illyana woke up find Miko's nose pressed to hers.  Smiling, she hugged him tight and heard an odd crinkling noise.  Turning the bear over, she found a note taped to his back: "Dear Yana:  Thanks for the company, but Miko missed you.  Don't worry, I'll be around.  Your pal, Window Boy."

Grinning hugely, Illyana jumped out of bed and shook Jubilee awake.  "Look!  Nate left me a note!"

"S'great, squirt," Jubilee mumbled from beneath her blanket.  "Now, go 'way.  Too early to get up."

"But Miko's back!"

"Whoopdy-friggin'-doo, Yana.  Go back to bed."

"But-"

A bag of jellybeans flew out of the blanket and thudded lightly against Illyana's PJs.

Illyana forgot all about waking her friend and went to get dressed, munching happily all the while.

* * * * *

Professor Xavier had just dismissed his morning Chemistry class when there was a sharp knock on his window.  Considering the window itself was three stories up, this was fairly impressive, especially since Xavier had sensed no one approaching.  Even now, there was a decidedly large "gray spot" in the psychic plane that he could not decipher.  He had never felt anything like it, and doubted (and hoped) he never would again.

"Come in," Xavier said softly, turning his wheelchair to face the window.

Instantly, in a rather impressive show of telekinesis, a young man floated through the glass and touched down in front of the startled man.  "What?  You run a school for mutants and you've never seen anyone float through a window?" he asked innocently.

Xavier regained his composure rather quickly.  "You'll have to forgive me.  With those stundets, at least, I am well aware of their mutants gifts.  You, on the other hand, Nathan, are-"

"Wrong," the boy interrupted with a frown as he crossed the room to stare at some paintings on the far wall.  "My name," he said firmly, "is—well, WAS…Nathaniel.  But the man who gave me that name no longer exists, and so neither does it.  Nate is what I call myself…and what you'll call me if you expect an answer."

Xavier nodded.  "Very well, Nate.  I'll get straight to the point.  How is it you happened to arrive here in the way you did?"

"It wasn't one of my better ideas, I'll admit."  Nate turned to face the professor.  "I don't usually make a habit of flying during storms, but I had a good reason.  I didn't mean to crash here, but nearly getting hit by lightning can throw you off course a bit…"

"I imagine it would," Xavier agreed, sounding sympathetic.  "No one here is angry about that.  We would like to know, as with all our new arrivals, where you came from and what you've been doing until now."

"Ah.  Thought you'd be getting around to that."  Nate walked up to the man and leaned forward, lowering his head.  "See this?"

"…see what?" Xavier asked cluelessly.

Nate sighed and pointed to his unruly brown hair.  "This.  See the streak of white in the middle?"

Xavier blinked.  He could've sworn the streak wasn't there a second ago, but… "Yes.  Strangely similar to young Rogue's…"

"Rogue.  No idea who that is, but I'm guessing they didn't get it at a salon."

"No.  She went through…a very traumatic experience."

"Okay.  Same thing with me, multiplied by about a thousand."  Nate stood up straight.  "Which translates into 'I reeeally don't feel like talking about my past' in layman's terms."

"…fair enough," Xavier said at length.  "Your past is, after all, your own.  But understand that it will be difficult to help you without some idea of where-"

"Actually, helping me is very simple," Nate interrupted, and not rudely.  "You help me locate one person, and I'm out of your hair…er…head.  Sorry."

"No offense taken.  Am I correct in assuming this person is a mutant?"

Nate nodded.  "Yup."

Xavier arched an eyebrow.  "You realize, of course, that with no knowledge of who YOU are, helping you locate another mutant is not exactly high on my list of priorities.  For all I know, you could be a mutant bent on destroying all others.  And believe me when I say you wouldn't be the first."

"Well, that's kinda the thing," Nate said uneasily.  "I'm not BENT on destroying anyone.  But if I don't find this one person, I will—inadvertently, mind you—destroy about half the world.  So it's kinda high on MY list of priorities…"

* * * * *

Jubilee was having a very good Tuesday.

First, she'd answered a very tough question in Ms. Munroe's Biology class.  No one else had known the right answer, or at least, no one else had given it before she did.  Ms. Munroe had seemed pleased, too.

Then she'd beaten Bobby in a foot race in Phys. Ed.  Which was really fun, since Bobby had tried to cheat by using an ice slide, and she'd still beaten the pants off him.  Not literally, but the idea had crossed her mind once or twice, mostly as a prank for a rainy day.  Mr. Logan had even awarded her with a rare smile, and Jubilee was slowly beginning to think that maybe he was cooler than he usually let on.

And then, out of the blue, Professor X canceled sixth period Chemistry.  He was an awfully nice guy and all, but only certain people could get really excited about science, and Jubilee was not typically one of them.  Anyway, it gave her a free period (which was always a plus), as well as a chance to catch up to Illyana (and Piotr, since he was never too far away).

She found the Russian siblings outside in the gazebo, taking in the atmosphere of the gardens.  Illyana was stretched out on a bench, doing her best to sketch the many butterflies that insisted on fluttering around her.  It was good to see her trying so hard at anything, especially something that wasn't Window Boy-related.  Frankly, Jubilee was nearly sick of him already, and she hadn't even met the guy.       

Piotr was seated nearby, watching faithfully over his sister.  There was something about his constant gaze that put one in mind of a huge guard dog.  Jubilee, however, knew that Piotr was probably the best guardian Illyana could ask for, and then some.  

She was going to stay back for a minute and just watch them, but Illyana spotted her and waved her over excitedly.

"Jubilee!  Look what I did!"  Illyana thrust her sketchpad into her friend's face.

It was honestly not that different from the doodles many of the other younger kids came up with.  But Jubilee easily identified the orange and black butterflies (minus the color) sitting on what was probably a log.  The fact that she could tell right away what the subject was proved that Illyana definitely shared some of her brother's artistic talent.

"This is really good, Yana," Jubilee said approvingly.  "You did this all by yourself?"

Illyana nodded proudly.  "I drew them, but it was Miko's idea."

Jubilee spared a glance at the ever-present black bear, which was propped up neatly on the bench.  "Really?  I was under the impression he didn't say very much."

"Oh, he only talks to me," Illyana replied matter-of-factly, missing the grin that Jubilee aimed at Piotr.

"Ya don't say."  Jubilee turned to Illyana's brother.  "You draw anything, Petey?"

Piotr nodded slightly and handed over his sketchpad, which had been hidden completely beneath his muscular arms.  "Another for your collection, Jubilee."

"Oh, wow," Jubilee breathed, her eyes lighting up.  "It's beautiful…"

"What?  What?!" Illyana whined, pulling at Jubilee's coat.  "Let me see!"

"Oh…um…it's nothing you haven't seen before, Yana.  Trust me."  Jubilee smiled wickedly.

"Pleeease!  You know how much I love Piotr's work!"

"Well…okay.  But I warned you."  Jubilee surrendered the sketchpad.

Illyana grabbed the pad eagerly and studied it.  Her cheeks grew red as she slowly peered over the top at her brother.  "Piotr, you promised you wouldn't!"

He shook his head.  "Forgive me, little snowflake.  I could not help myself."

"You always say that!" Illyana complained, stomping her little foot for emphasis.

"But it is always true," Piotr replied with a smile.

Illyana blushed, very aware of the fact Jubilee was grinning at them.  "You've got to stop drawing me!  You KNOW what I look like!"

"That's not the point, Yana," Jubilee pointed out.  "Don't you like it?"

"Of course I do; Piotr drew it," Illyana answered automatically, as if that were an obvious fact.  "But can't you draw other people?"

"I do," Piotr protested mildly.  "Just yesterday I sketched Kitty between classes..."  He trailed off upon seeing Jubilee grinning hugely at him with a telltale look on her face.

Illyana pouted.  "But then you always do ME again!  Why?!"

"Why not?" Pioter asked simply.  "To do my best work, I must at least have a fondness for what I draw.  My best pictures will always be of you, little snowflake."

Illyana blushed and looked away shyly.  "Piotr…"

The big Russian reached down and picked her up.  "I will never be ashamed to show that I love you, Illyana.  I am sorry if it embarrasses you, but I cannot help what I am."

She looked up from the huge arm that cradled her to his chest.  "…couldn't you just tell me first, next time?" Illyana asked in a tiny voice that seemed impossible to resist.

"I would prefer not to.  Poses are not very natural.  I wish to capture you as you truly are."

"But…you always make me look like…" Illyana began, but trailed off.

"Like what?" Jubilee asked.

Illyana searched for a suitable word.  "Like…a fairy, or an angel, or something."

Jubilee grinned.  "I dunno, Yana.  Sometimes I have to make sure you haven't sprouted wings on me."

"You're teasing me!" Illyana cried accusingly, but there was laughter in her eyes.

"Yeah, I am.  You know Petey draws you cuz he loves you.  And hey, if you don't want the sketch, then I'll keep it with all the others of you.  These are better than any pictures I could ever take myself."  Jubilee tucked the pad under her arm.  "Oh, did you guys hear?  The Prof canceled sixth period today.  Weird, huh?"

"It must have been something important," Piotr murmured thoughtfully.

Jubilee bit her lip.  "You don't think Magneto got out, do you?" 

"Who?" Illyana asked.

"Nutty old friend of the Prof's.  Has a thing for strapping girls into…um…never mind.  It's probably something else, anyway."  Jubilee made a mental note to hit Marie up for info and see if she'd heard anything from Logan.  "Yana, don't you have a session with Ms. Munroe in a few minutes?"

"Oh!  I forgot what time it was!"  Illyana scrambled off Piotr's arm, quickly collecting her pad and her trusty Miko.  

Jubilee shifted her book bag slightly.  "Here, I'll stick your butterflies up on our wall for ya."

"Really?  Thanks!"  Illyana gave her the pad and waved at them as she hurried back to the school.

Jubilee waited until Illyana was gone to clear her throat.  "So.  Kitty, huh?"

Piotr blushed and lowered his head.  "Somehow, I knew mentioning that around you was a mistake.  You're not going to let this go, are you?"

"Course not.  While I am shocked and very jealous that you didn't choose ME as your latest subject, it is good that you're becoming interested in a girl other than Yana."  She patted his shoulder.  "It will be hard to overlook the fact that Kitty's almost as cute as me, and that you've fallen for someone else.  You might not see me much, since I'm not sure how long it will take my broken heart to get over you…"

"If you want me to draw you again, Jubilee, you only have to ask."

"Good.  See you at seven."  Jubilee walked away humming to herself, admiring the simple yet fascinating sketch.  As usual, Piotr had captured his subjects perfectly.  Illyana was frozen in the act of leaning over her pad, tucking her hair behind her ear as she worked.  The cutest part was that Miko was leaning on her shoulder, as if giving his silent approval.  

* * * * *

Ororo smiled warmly as Illyana burst into the attic.

"Sorry I'm late, Ms. Munroe!" Illyana gasped as she ran in.  "Me and Piotr and Jubilee were outside, and we started talking about stuff and I drew the bestest-"

"Breathe, Illyana," Ororo wisely suggested.

The girl took a deep breath as she sat down next to Ororo on the couch.  "Sorry…"

"It's fine, child," Ororo assured her, patting the girl's hand.  "You're here, and that's all that matters.  We can start whenever you're ready."

Illyana took a few more seconds to relax before nodding.  "Okay, I'm ready."

"I see that Miko has gained a bit of weight," the woman observed.

Illyana blinked in confusion, before realizing her teacher was referring to the note from Nate.  "Oh!  See, I got it this morning when Nate returned Miko, but I didn't wanna take it off, so I left it there."

"…and how was it that he ended up with Miko?"

Illyana beamed at her.  "I let Nate borrow him for a bit."

"I see.  Why did you do that?"

"Cuz he didn't know anyone here, and I remember how scared I was when I first got here."

"Feeling alone can be very scary," Ororo agreed with a sympathetic nod.

"I gave Miko to Nate so he wouldn't be lonely and scared and stuff."

"That was a very nice thing you did for him.  But why?  You don't know him at all."

Illyana shrugged.  "I'd want someone to do it for me.  Even if I didn't know them.  It's always nice when you get something from a friend."

"And is Nate your friend?"

"I think so.  Except for the note and when he was asleep, I haven't really talked to him."

"Well, we should fix that, shouldn't we?" asked a voice beside her.

Illyana gasped and spun around as Nate floated up through the floor.

"Sorry to interrupt your session and all," Nate apologized to Ororo.  "But Professor Xavier thought it might be a good idea…"

Ororo nodded.  "Please feel free to join us, Nate."

"Thanks."  Nate sat down on the other side of Illyana, who still hadn't said a word, since her mouth was open in shock.  "Um…you really shouldn't gape, Yana.  Something might fly in there."  He gently closed her mouth for her.

Illyana blinked a few times.  "You're here," she said softly.

Nate smiled.  "Last time I checked, yeah."

"How did you DO that?!  Only Kitty can do that!"

Nate chuckled softly.  "It's a form of telekinesis.  It only looks like what Kitty does, but it's a bit trickier than that.  See, she just makes herself intangible and floats through.  I can't do that, so I have to rearrange the molecules in the floor to be able to float through it.  Flying's easy compared to that." 

"…okay," Illyana said slowly.

"It's just a different way of doing the same thing, Yana.  Kitty walks through the wall, but I walk around it.  Just…not ALL the way around it.  Wait, now I'm confusing myself…"

"Maybe explaining how you fly would be better," Ororo suggested.  "For example, I fly by summoning and riding wind currents."

"And I do it by turning my teleki—um, by lifting…myself with my mind."

"Could you lift me?" Illyana asked in awe.

"Sure, but I don't need my powers for that.  It'd be easier just to hold you while I flew."

"Can we go flying right now?!" Illyana pleaded.   

"Um…don't you want to finish your session first?" Nate asked, grinning nervously at Ororo.

"A change of scenery might do us all some good," Ororo said as she stood up.  "I think a nice flight around the grounds is a very good idea."

"…are all the teachers here this cool?" Nate whispered loudly to Illyana.

"Nope, just her," Illyana replied with a grin.


	4. Nate: Exposed!

Notes: This story is odd in that it allows me to draw on elements of the movie, the comics, and some animated series.  In fact, there will be a touch of X-Men: Evolution coming up soon…

Chapter 4: Nate: Exposed!

Piotr frowned.  "Jubilee, please stop grinning like that.  You're going to ruin the sketch."

"Sorry, Petey," Jubilee apologized, trying to sound sincere.  "It's just…I can't help thinking about how things work themselves out."

"How do you mean, Jubes?" Kitty asked from where she sat next to Piotr on Illyana's bed.

"Don't you think it's funny?  I mean, Petey and me were just on our way here to do the sketch, and we just happen to run into Kitty, who was in the last sketch.  Isn't that just…convenient?"  There was no attempt to stop the grin that spread across Jubilee's face this time.

"For whom?" Piotr asked warily, doing his best not to look at Kitty, who was doing her best not to look away from him.

"All involved?" Jubilee suggested.  "I get yet another ultra cool still life, Petey gets to draw yet another cute girl, and Kitty…well, I'm sure she'll get SOMETHING out of the experience."

Piotr was studying his sketchpad, so he missed the conspiratorial wink that Jubilee and Kitty shared.

"I get to hang out with my friends," Kitty added, laying her head on Piotr's arm.  "That's enough for me."

Piotr turned a spectacular shade of red, but it faded as he focused on his work again.

"Well, sure," Jubilee agreed at once.  "Friends are very important.  They're the building blocks of all successful relationships.  I mean, how many…say, COUPLES…started off as friends?"

"Thousands?" Kitty guessed.

"Oh, I'd say MILLIONS, at LEAST," Jubilee disagreed sagely.

"You're right, of course.  Isn't that funny, Piotr?" Kitty asked, nudging him with her elbow.

"…I am afraid I don't see the humor, Katya," Piotr offered apologetically.  "Though I do agree that friends are indeed very beneficial."

Jubilee rolled her eyes.  "Yeah, they are.  Some might even make good WIVES some day."

Piotr's head snapped up.  "What…?!"

Kitty looked fairly alarmed herself, but for a different reason.  "Jubes, don't you think that's-"

"Oh, I give UP!" Jubilee shouted, jumping to her feet.  "If you two don't start suckin' face soon, I swear I'm gonna-"

Her tirade was cut off by a loud knock at the window…which was quite irregular, since the room was two floors off the ground.

"Oh, look," Jubilee muttered sullenly.  "It's bunch of ANGELS come to visit.  Wonder if they've got any ARROWS that might make a certain muscle head FALL IN LOVE or somethin'…prolly not, with MY rotten luck."  She made a big scene of storming over to the window and tossing it open.

"Hi, Jubilee!" Illyana shouted happily.

"…maybe we should introduce me later, Yana," Nate offered, noticing the sour look on Jubilee's face.

"Nah, I'm fine.  C'mon in, munchkin," Jubilee sighed, plucking Illyana from his arms.  "It's half your room, too.  You're more than welcome to bring a cute guy up any time you like."

"Thanks…I think," Nate murmured uncertainly as he flew in after them.

"Snowflake?" Piotr asked, mild alarm in his voice as Illyana hopped in his lap.  "What were you doing out there?"

"Maybe she decided to become a REAL snowflake?" Jubilee joked.

"Actually, Storm—er, Ms. Munroe—decided to take Yana's session airborne today," Nate replied.

"S'okay, you can call her Storm around us," Jubilee said.  "We feel weird calling her anything else."

"Really?  Me, too.  I'm Nate, by the way…"  He looked pointedly at Illyana.

"OH!  I forgot!"  Illyana began to point at everyone as she named them.  "Everyone, this is my new friend Nate!  Nate, this is my big brother, Piotr.  And that's my best friend, Jubilee.  And this is my other friend-"

"Kitty," Nate replied automatically.  Noticing the looks he got, he continued.  "We met.  Earlier."

"On the roof," Kitty added absently before cringing at the look on Piotr's face.

"The roof?" he asked, perhaps a bit suspiciously.

"Um.  We nearly collided during her morning run…flight…er…what do you call them, Kitty?"  Nate looked to her for help.

"Flight's good," Kitty said quietly, not meeting Piotr's eyes.

"Right.  Flight.  And rather than try to kill each other, we decided to be polite.  So we exchanged names."  Nate smiled slightly.  "It's amazing how much you come to appreciate normal greetings when everyone you see isn't trying to take your head off or use it in mad experiments."

"…yeah," Jubilee said slowly.  "I can see you're REAL normal."

"Please.  I'm willing to bet no one in this school is normal.  It's boring, anyway."

"Agreed," Jubilee muttered, a slight smile on her face.

"So, what were you three up to before we barged in?" Nate asked.

Jubilee smirked.  "I was posing, Kitty was flirting, and Petey here was trying to catch a clue.  Failed miserably, as usual…"

Kitty blushed, and Piotr blinked slowly.  Illyana, however, caught on right away.

"You mean Kitty likes my big brother?  Cool!"

"I love kids," Jubilee confessed to Nate, patting Illyana's head.  "Don't you?"

* * * * *

Ororo found it rather odd that, considering Xavier had summoned her and Jean to his office, he had yet to say anything to either of them since they'd arrived.  She was beginning to wonder if there were lingering effects from his collapse a few days ago.

~"Charles is fine, Ororo,"~ Jean assured her telepathically.  ~"Though, he is acting a bit strangely…"~

"As you know," Xavier said suddenly, "I generally follow certain policies whenever a mutant arrives here seeking shelter.  But Nate's arrival doesn't really fit the usual cases.  He has no apparent need or wish to stay here on a permanent basis, nor does he seem to want to learn anything more about his powers."

"Then…what does he want?" Jean asked slowly.

"The only thing he appears to want is access to Cerebro…which, of course, I could not agree to.  While he certainly possesses more than enough power to use Cerebro, he could easily hurt himself or others in doing so.  In addition, I know nothing of his immediate intentions, save for a desire—a need, according to him—to find a certain person capable of saving his life."

"I was under the impression he could take care of himself," Ororo said.  "His power is enormous, Charles.  I know how adjusted Jean is to her powers, but I've seen Nate do things that she still struggles with effortlessly…sometimes with little more than a thought."

"There is a great irony to Nate.  For all his incredible power, it is the very thing he needs saving from.  The power is literally consuming his body and life.  In time, it will consume him completely, in a massive explosion that will decimate, according to his estimates, at least half of the planet."

"That is…hard to believe," Jean said at once.

"I thought so, too, Jean.  At first.  But there is…a lingering trace of death about the boy, and I can sense the strain his body is under.  We cannot afford to ignore his plea for help…not when so many lives would be at stake."

"Then you think we can trust him?"

"I would vouch for him," Ororo volunteered at once.

Xavier raised his eyebrows.  "You would?"

"Yes.  I admit I know nothing of who he is or where he came from.  But having spent time with him, I cannot believe there is any malice in his heart.  In many ways, he still seems a child himself.  If you had seen the way he played with Illyana, you would-"

"Illyana?" Xavier interrupted with some concern.

"Yes.  According to Jubilee, she became fixated on Nate the moment he arrived.  She reacts to him in much the same way she does to Jubilee.  I must say this is the happiest I've seen her…ever."

"And how does he react to her?" Xavier asked.

Ororo smiled.  "They haven't parted since they've been introduced.  You'd think they were joined at the hip.  I do not think we have anything to fear from Nate.  In fact, I believe he may be just what Illyana needs to become her own person."

"Be that as it may, I would prefer to know more about Nate before we decide anything long-term.  He has agreed to give us a more detailed explanation of his past tonight."

"And what does he want in return?" Jean asked.

"I have promised to assist him in his search…provided he agrees to at least give me a name to go on."  Xavier shook his head slightly.  "For some reason, he seemed to think I wouldn't be able to find them with Cerebro.  He made it seem like only he could do it, but I have no idea why."

* * * * *

"I hope you don't hate me, Piotr," Nate said quietly.  "Kitty and I just bumped into each other.  We didn't even talk for three minutes.  You can ask her yourself.  Or I could show you what happened."

"Show me?" Piotr asked skeptically, studying one of his latest works.

"Something like that.  I can display what happened in my mind's eye.  It might be a little distorted, since you're not a psi like me, but it should still-"

"No.  It will not be necessary.  If you are willing to share your very thoughts of Kitty with me…then I have no reason to doubt what you say is true."

"So…you're not mad?"

"Mad?  No.  I suppose I am…a bit protective of my family and friends."

"I can appreciate that," Nate replied.  "I think I'd be the same way.  If I had a family."

Piotr eyed him curiously.  "Then…your family perished, as well?"

"Yes and no.  I only knew them as my genetic donors, and only met them for a minute.  But they're definitely dead."

"I am sorry.  I did not know."

Nate shrugged.  "You couldn't have known.  Not your fault they're dead.  In fact, some of it's mine."

Piotr touched his shoulder.  "Many children blame themselves for deaths of loved ones, but I do not-"

"I know you're trying to make me feel better, and I appreciate it.  But I know what I know.  Everything happens for a reason, and my losing them helped me become what I am today.  So I'm not…sad about it, really.  I'm just not gonna let it happen to anyone else I know."

"An admirable goal.  One I have adopted myself."

"See?  We've got something in common already.  Being roommates shouldn't be too tough."

Piotr smiled.  "No, I do not think it will be, Nate."

There was a firm knock at the door.

"Our first visitor.  Do you mind?" Nate asked.

Piotr nodded.  "Be my guest."

Nate crossed the room, pulled the door open, and froze in his tracks.

Scott Summers stared back at him, but without the gaping.  "Nate?  It's time."

Nate didn't move.

Piotr placed his hand on Nate's shoulder.  "My friend?"

Nate blinked and closed his mouth.  "I…um…"

Jean suddenly appeared beside Scott.  "Is anything wrong?"

Nate visibly relaxed, but only somewhat.  "Uh…no, Jean.  I'm okay."  He attempted a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.  "I didn't mean to stare.  The…um…visor threw me a bit.  Sorry."

"I get that sometimes," Scott admitted with a half smile.  

Jean blinked a few times, clearly confused, but shook her head.  "Whenever you're ready, Nate."

"Could you send someone to get Jubilee?" Nate asked.  "I think she should hear this, too."

Jean nodded and smiled.  "Of course.  Right this way."

As Nate got a few steps ahead of them, Jean leaned close to Scott.  "Scott, did you-" she began to whisper.

"You're going to ask how he knew I wore a visor on missions."

"Yes!  He's never SEEN you on a mission!  How could he…?"

"I don't know, Jean," Scott answered, adjusting his ruby red shades.  "But he's definitely seen them—and me—before.  I intend to find out where and when, too."

* * * * *

Despite the fact that he was the one doing the speaking, Nate declined to take the Professor's place at the head seat in the War Room.  Instead, he opted for a seat along the side, between Jubilee and Storm.  Logan had given up his own seat for Jubilee and didn't seem to mind standing.

"I've never really believed in reincarnation," Nate began.  "But I do believe in past lives.  Because it honestly feels like I'm in the middle of my second one.  I'm not…from this Earth.  It's the second one I've seen…because the first one ceased to exist."

"That is…rather hard to believe, Nate," Scott offered after a moment of silence.

"I can only show you images of what I've seen."  Nate leaned forward and laid his hand on the table.  Instantly, the holographic projector in the center of the table came to life, forming a sharp image of a glass, metal-encased cylinder.  Inside, the face of a small boy was visible.

"My life began here…inside a nutrient bath, tucked away deep in a lab beneath an abandoned orphanage in Omaha, Nebraska.  I've checked, and the orphanage is still very much active on this—your—Earth. No lab under it, though."

"So…you didn't have any parents?" Jubilee asked softly.

"Not in the traditional sense.  I had primary genetic donors, but this nutrient bath was the womb, for all intents and purposes.  The man who…created me was a brilliant—but twisted—geneticist who called himself Sinister.  Before, his name was Nathaniel Essex.  He named me Nathan after him…which is why I go by Nate instead."

"Did he…mistreat you?" Xavier asked carefully.  

"Not directly.  Like most mad scientists, Sinister had a one-track mind.  He designed me to be an ultimate weapon.  HIS ultimate weapon…but he messed up somewhere, because I've always been able to think for myself.  In the end, that's probably what saved me from going down the wrong path.  But it's also what drove Sinister to kill those who tried to help me…and, in turn, what drove me to kill him.  I trust nobody needs to see that part?"  

Nobody did.

"I know this sounds nuts.  But the world I came from was nuts, too.  It was known as the Age of Apocalypse…named for an all-powerful mutant of the same name.  If what I've gathered from other is correct, that timeline was a freak accident…one that never should've happened, but did, all because one man wasn't there to stop it."

"Who?" Xavier asked.

"Well…you, Professor," Nate replied.  "The day you died, the Age of Apocalypse began.  Without your dream to oppose him, Apocalypse took over.  But as overpowering as his rule was…there are some things and people that I recognize here…just, in different forms from the things and people I knew.  For example, what could you tell me about a man that calls himself Magneto?"

"He's a total creep," Jubilee muttered.

"Really?  In my time, he was the good guy, so to speak."

"Oh, I GOTTA hear this," Logan chuckled.

"It's not like he was born that way.  It took the death of his closest friend for him to adopt a dream.  Xavier's death was really an accident.  The killer was aiming for Magneto, because he would one day be the direct opposition to Xavier's dream.  But Xavier sacrificed himself to save Magneto.  So you X-Men are nothing new to me.  It's just, you weren't all the same people…and Magneto was your leader."

"Then perhaps there is still hope for Magnus yet," Xavier murmured.

"I wouldn't put money on it, Professor.  My world was very different from this one.  Mutant followers of Apocalypse ran the place, for one thing, and humans were enslaved."

"So how was it that you came here, Nate?" Jean asked.

"There are some details that are still unclear to me, but here's what I know for sure.  Magneto had some sort of master plan to bring down Apocalypse once and for all.  But the Big A was onto him, and captured Magneto and his infant son first.  The X-Men staged one final attempt to get them both back, just as I decided to go along with Sinister's original intention and take out the Big A myself.  It didn't end up that way, though.  I ended brawling with his son, Holocaust, who was no slouch in the power department.  I didn't know it then, but the world was literally collapsing around us…almost as if it knew our time was wrong, and was trying to wipe out the mistake.  But at the last second, I grabbed a mystic crystal shard and stuck it straight into Holocaust's chest.  Somehow, that saved us both—along with two others from our time—and brought us here.  Everyone else and everything else in our time ceased to exist.  Except for what's up here."  Nate tapped his forehead.  "While the crystal moved me here, several different faces flashed through my mind.  My memories are really like scattered puzzle pieces because of that.  I know faces and names, but not necessarily anything beyond that.  It's…one of the reasons I knew to come here for help.  There were some surprises, of course, but I think I handled the shock pretty well."

"I may be able to help…order your thoughts, so to speak," Xavier offered.  "But it may take some time.  I do, however, think it would be beneficial to all of us if you used the War Room projector to store images of your past.  Some of the mutants you mentioned sound dangerous no matter what timeline they were in.  It would be best if we prepared for possible altercations with them."

"I can do that," Nate replied as an image of a differently dressed Jubilee formed in the projector.  "All of them weren't so bad, though."

"So you've…met all of us before?" Jubilee asked, staring at the projector.

"Not really.  Some, yes.  Others I just saw as I was tossed through time."  Nate narrowed his eyes in concentration, forming an image of a short-haired Storm.  "I've spent most of this life going place to place, seeking out the most familiar faces.  It hasn't always worked out, some people are very different from the versions I knew."  An image of Logan popped up next.  "Some people don't really change that much."

"Guess you're timeless, huh, Mr. Logan?" Jubilee asked, grinning at him.

"Watch it, darlin'," Logan growled half-heartedly.  Then he turned to Nate.  "So.  You ever met ol' One Eye over there?" he grunted, nodding at Scott.

Nate swallowed visibly.  "You might say that."  An image of a long-haired, one-eyed Cyclops and a short-haired Jean appeared.  "They were together when I met them.  I figured I should preserve them that way."

"So that's how you knew I wore a visor," Scott whispered, running his fingers across the projector.

"Yeah.  Didn't mean to spook anyone…myself included."

Scott turned to him.  "Nate…did I—did he…hurt you?"

"Not really.  Why?"  

"You seemed…afraid of me earlier.  I wasn't sure if…"

"Guess I didn't expect to see you here.  You weren't an X-Man in my time.  There were other teams."  Nate cleared his throat.  "There's one other thing, too.  Sinister designed me to destroy Apocalypse…but that's all he intended for me.  I have too much power for my body to contain on its own.  Some day, it's going to destroy me, and a good chunk of this Earth, too.  That's why I need to find the one person I know that can change all that."

"Sinister?" Jean guessed.

"No.  I wouldn't trust him to save me in any timeline.  The person I mean was my first real friend here…but I made a huge mistake in leaving her behind.  I thought I was protecting her, but I didn't know how big a danger I was to the whole Earth and myself then.  If I could just find her again, I know she'd help me."

"She got a name, kid?" Logan asked.

"And a face to go with it."  An image of a girl Nate's age appeared in the projector.  "To save my life, I need Wanda Maximoff…the Scarlet Witch.  I don't suppose anyone here knows her?"

"Wanda," Xavier whispered in shock.  "It…can't be…"

"You know her, Professor?" Ororo asked.

"Yes, but…Magnus told me she was dead.  When I last saw her, she was only a girl, but to see her grown up like this…"  He looked up to address the group.  "Wanda was—is Magnus's daughter…and I am her godfather."


	5. Just A Thought Away

Notes: This chapter contains an original mutant character.  Beware.  I've also played with people's ages some, but I see no problem with that.  Rogue DID first come to the X-Men practically a kid, but no one remembers that.  Hopefully the movie people researched and did that on purpose.  I haven't done a certain mutant in a while, my French accent is rusty…

Chapter 5: Just A Thought Away 

"Welcome to Telepathic Conditioning, Nate.  This is a required class for all students, since all telepaths aren't as well meaning as you are.  We try to teach the students how to build up their mental defenses, and be familiar with their mindscapes as possible.  Of course, there are precious few telepaths here, so we only expect so much from them.  You, however…"

Nate glanced down at Illyana and frowned.  "Um…with all due respect, Jean…I don't think I should be here."

"Oh?  Why is that?" Jean asked.

"First, telepaths don't come much more defensive than me.  Second…I'd rather not embarrass you in front of Illyana.  Third…I really don't wanna end up hurting you."

Jean arched an eyebrow.  "Are you trying to say you're too advanced for this class?"

"No.  I'm saying if anyone's gonna mess with my head, I'd prefer it be the Professor.  You might not be able to handle me, all kidding aside."

"Okay.  Let's try something different, then."  Jean thought for a few seconds.  "Do you know how to create a psychic rapport?"

Nate blinked slowly.  "…I know how to make a psychic link, if that's the same thing."

"Not quite.  A link is pretty simple by comparison, since it only transmits thoughts.  A rapport is both telepathic and empathic in nature."

"That, I've never done," Nate admitted.  "I've never met someone I felt that comfortable with, anyway."

"That's…unfortunate."  Jean smiled.  "But since you do know about links, why not try one with…Illyana?"

Illyana perked up at the mention of her name.  "I get to help?" she asked excitedly.

"Hey, hold on," Nate said, looking uncomfortable.  "Simple or not, a link is serious business.  I don't wanna do it if Yana doesn't want-"

"I wanna help, Nate!" Illyana insisted, tugging on his hand.

"You have a volunteer," Jean observed.  "If the link ever becomes a problem, we can always remove it."

Nate sighed in defeat and knelt before Illyana.  "Look, Yana.  I want you to really think about this.  If I do this, you'll have to get used to hearing me in your head."

Illyana shrugged.  "I like your voice."

Nate smiled.  ~"It's a little different like this, though."~

Illyana frowned in confusion.  ~"How?  I can still hear you.  It's just louder and clearer this way."~

Nate blinked in shock.  ~"You…you've done this before?"~

~"No.  What makes you think that?"~

"Um…I think we're ready," Nate muttered in disbelief.  "You might wanna hold onto something, Yana."

"Okay."  Illyana picked up Miko and hugged him tight.  "Ready!"

Nate chuckled.  "Maybe you'd better sit down, too."

Illyana sat down in a nearby chair.  "Now can we start?"

"That depends.  Do you trust me?"

"Sure I do, silly!"

"Okay."  Nate cupped Illyana's face in his hands.  "Think of something that makes you happy."

With a mere thought, Nate found himself inside Illyana's mind.  It was just what he'd imagined: bright, swirling colors and happy music.  

The first thing he did was search for any pre-existing links that creating a new one might disturb.  He found a low-level empathic one with Piotr, but that was nothing strange between siblings.  Strangely, there was also a pretty strong one with her stuffed bear, Miko.  Children did sometimes place a great deal of importance on their toys, but even that wouldn't have explained the strength of this link.  Nate wasn't even sure he could undo it, though he didn't really see a reason to.  He could safely establish a new link without harming the others.

Within a few seconds, Nate had created a very basic telepathic link.  It was nothing fancy, but it would allow them to communicate over long distances, even if one of them were unconscious.  Hopefully, it would never come to that, but Nate wasn't going to risk something bad happening to Illyana and being unable to track her down.

"Okay, we're done," he said gently, lowering his hands.  "How do you feel, Yana?"

"All tingly," she replied, rubbing her arms.  "Is it supposed to tickle?"

"Compared to what it has done in others, be glad that's all it did," Nate chuckled.  "You don't hurt anywhere, do you?"

Illyana shook her head.  "Should I?"

"No, but if you did, that'd be a sign I did something wrong."

She smiled up at him.  "I know you'd never hurt me, Nate."

Something like pain flashed across his face, but it was gone instantly.  "Listen, Yana," he said softly, picking her up.  "I'm glad you trust me and all, but…sometimes people you care about hurt you, without really meaning to.  It's not that they don't care…sometimes they care too much.  I guess what I'm trying to say is…well…"

"If you ever hurt me, that you're sorry in advance?" she guessed.

Nate smiled weakly.  "Um…yeah.  Exactly."

Illyana patted his cheek and laid her head on his shoulder.  "Okay.  I forgive you.  Miko does, too."

"Glad to know that," Nate sighed, resting his chin on her head.  "Really glad to know that, Yana."

Neither of them seemed to notice the concerned look on Jean's face as she left the room in a hurry.

* * * * *

Charles Xavier couldn't help swallowing noisily as the shadow of Apocalypse fell over him.  Though they had never met before, Xavier couldn't deny the fact that just a hologram of the powerful mutant sent chills racing down his spine.  If he was anything like Nate's description of him, that fear was probably justified.

A low chuckle escaped the mouth of Apocalypse as he reached forward, his arm and hand growing in size, easily dwarfing Xavier as the fingers began to close around him…

"That's the third time today, Professor," Storm's voice reminded him from the control room, as the hologram began to fade.  "I fail to see how this is helping you."

"The ability to face one's fears is a strength, Storm.  And believe me when I say there are few things that frighten me more than the visage of this…Apocalypse."

"If what Nate said is true, just projecting images of him could be dangerous.  I wish you would stop this."

"That is impossible.  If I would best suit Apocalypse's plans as a corpse, it's best to do as much as I can before he sees a need to make Nate's past a reality here."  He smiled grimly.  "Even as a telepath, I doubted my importance on this planet.  To know that the entire world could fall into darkness with my death…"

"Doesn't make you feel quite as small?" Jean asked, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"Something like that, yes," Xavier replied, giving her hand a light squeeze.  "Is something troubling you, Jean?"

"I'm afraid that what Nate may not be telling us…might be one of the most important things about his past."

Xavier chuckled.  "I could hardly force the boy to let me scan his mind, even if I wanted to."

"I know, he's too strong.  But I know he's hiding something, Charles.  I can feel it every time I look at him.  I have a bad feeling it has something to do with your death in his world—like maybe he had something to do with it?"

"That is a…strong accusation, Jean.  One I hope you have some proof of."

"Of course not!  Do you think he'd still BE here if I knew he was responsible for-"

"Jean," Xavier interrupted.  "Calm yourself."  ~"And thank you for your unwavering loyalty to me."~

She smiled down at him.  ~"I owe you too much, Professor."~  "But let's look at this logically.  You are, by no means, a weakling.  It stands to reason that it would take an incredible power—most likely a mutant one—to kill you.  And we've already established that Nate is stronger than you…"

"I have…actually considered that possibility," Xavier admitted.  "But I have no reason to doubt anything Nate has told us.  I know very well he hasn't told us everything…but he has not lied.  Aside from that, since he was born during the Age of Apocalypse, in order to kill me, he would have to be able to travel back through time."

"I wouldn't put it past him just yet…"

"I was under the impression that you liked him, Jean?" Xavier asked, looking puzzled.

"I DO, actually.  Maybe that's why I want to clear up any mysteries right away, so I can relax around him.  But there's just so much we don't know, and even more he won't tell us."

"He may, when he's ready.  For now, we must let him come to us."  

* * * * *

Logan had no regrets about taking his entire Phys. Ed. Class up to the War Room.  If they were going to get attacked by some double-ugly mutant, he wanted the kids to know what they were getting beaten up by at the very least.  Then they might have some chance of holding it off until he got there.

But, of course, kids would be kids.

"Like, ew," was Jubilee's rather fitting response to seeing an image of Holocaust.  "Where's the rest of him?"

Logan shrugged.  "Ya got me, kid.  Don't think I'd wanna ask, personally."

"Wow.  Just think, Nate actually whipped this guy…"

A chorus of "Wow!"s and "Really?!"s sprang up at once, and everyone jostled to get closer to Jubilee.

"Oh, I forgot.  You guys weren't there for the meeting."

"Meeting?" Marie demanded, shooting a look at Logan.  "What meeting?!"

"A *secret* meeting?" Bobby asked.

"It wasn't secret, everyone just wasn't invited to listen in," Jubilee pointed out.  "Anyway, Nate spilled the beans on where he came from, how he got here, and why he's here."

"So SPILL already, Jubes!" Kitty encouraged.

"Is he really dangerous like they said?" Theresa asked.

"Who, Nate?  No way!  He gives Yana piggyback rides, for cryin' out loud!"

"He's staying in your ROOM?!" Bobby cried in alarm.

"NO!  Piotr's his roomie, you perv!"

"Wait, wait," Marie said.  "So that 'Window Boy' Yana was goin' on about is him?  When did THAT happen?!"

Jubilee rolled her eyes.  "You are, like, so uninformed, Roguey.  Doesn't Logan tell you ANYTHING?"  

Interestingly enough, when Marie turned to glare at Logan again, he was long gone.

* * * * *

Several hundred miles away, a hot dog vendor named Marge Wilson decided she was having a very good day, and not just because of all the big tips, either.  There was something about putting a huge smile on a hungry kid's face that never seemed to get old or tiring, even though Marge was pushing 67 herself.

It was around noon when she spotted the young boy.  He looked to be somewhere between 12 and 16 years old, but she couldn't narrow it down any more than that.  He wore a black T-shirt, dirty blue jeans, and sneakers that had seen better days.  Clearly, he'd been on his own for some time, from the way he watched people go by.  There was a kind of sneaky wisdom in his red on black eyes that Marge just didn't like to see in children.  This was a child that knew the best ways to slip a wallet out of a pocket, or a money pouch out of a purse.

Despite that, when he had "gathered" enough money, Marge would give him a genuine footlong, no questions asked.  If the boy had to resort to stealing to feed himself, who was she to starve him?  If anything, she felt sorry for the poor little guy.  She wasn't rich herself, but she'd never had to beg or steal to get a hot meal.  Maybe she could point him toward a local shelter, if he would even agree to go.

Marge watched the boy work his magic for nearly two hours, carefully slipping in and out of the pedestrian traffic.  She found it amusing that although she never actually saw any money or wallets in his hands, he had clearly been successful.

Finally, he wandered over to her cart, looking bashful and uncertain.

"Hungry, luv?" she asked him with a bright smile.

"Four wit da works," he muttered with an accent that she couldn't place.

"Comin' right up, dear," she promised.

He leaned against the cart, trying to look tough and uninterested as she prepared his order.

Marge laughed to herself and soon had the four dogs ready.  "Anything else, luv?"

He shook his head, his eyes totally focused on the food before him.

"Got enough to pay for 'em all?" she asked, teasing him.

He looked insulted, thinking she was serious.  Before he could reply, a loud voice startled them both.

"ROBBIE!!!"

The boy spun around, his hands frozen in the act of reaching for the hot dogs.

A taller girl wearing a red and black duster ran up, a furious look on her face.  "There you are!"  She grabbed the boy's arm.  "I've been looking all OVER for you!  Don't you EVER do that to me again!"  She fell to her knees and pulled him into a rough hug.  "Mom would never forgive me if anything happened to you!" she cried, tears streaming down her face.

"He yours?" Marge asked.

The girl looked up and smiled weakly.  "Yes.  Oh, thank you for just BEING here!  If he hadn't stopped and seen your cart, someone might've…oh, just THANK YOU!"  She jumped up and shook Marge's hand vigorously.  "If there's anything I can do to repay you…?"

"Just puttin' some food into the wee dear is enough, luv," Marge replied.

"Oh, goodness.  Did he order all THIS?!" she asked, staring at the four hot dogs in shock.  "Robbie, shame on you!"

The boy ducked behind his sister and clung to her legs.

"Now, now, it's fine, dear," Marge reassured her.  "I was half-planning to give 'em up for free, no need to fuss at 'im.  A boy's got to eat, after all."

"You're sure?  I'm sure I could give you something…"  The girl began to root through her pockets.

"Oh, luv, don't bother," Marge insisted.  "Go on ahead, take 'em."

"Thank goodness for people like you!"  The girl threw her arms around Marge.  "Thank you SO much!"

"Aw, it's nothin' at all, luv, nothin' at all.  You two run along now, and take care of yourselves, hear?"

The girl continued to wave her thanks until they rounded a corner.  Then she sighed and brushed the tear stains from her face.  "How'd you do?"

"Sixty-one even," he replied, patting his pocket.  "You?"

"Three times that much.  Slow day?"

"Ol' one watchin' de whole time.  Couldn't get too much."

"You got us dinner, Remy.  You won't hear me complaining."  She tousled his brown hair fondly.

He pushed her hand away.  "Ease up, chere.  Remy know he hard to resist, but at least try, non?"

She grinned at him.  "Might just have to push you down and ravage you right here, Cajun.  You're getting kinda cute."

"Remy wish he could say he'd fight you, chere.  But dat be one fight Remy don' mind losin'."

She laughed out loud as they reached a sky blue van parked in an alley.  "Just get in the van, Frenchie.  Our little ones are probably starving by now."

"Musty!  Petite!  You hungry?" Remy called as he climbed into the passenger's seat.

There was a grunt from a hulking, shadowy figure in the back of the van, but no other reply.

"Ah, good ol' Musty always hungry, non?  Got good grub t'day, mon ami."  Remy passed two hot dogs to the huge, white fur-covered paw that reached out to him.  "She up yet?"

A negative grunt, followed by much loud chewing.

"Oh, hey, guess what, Musty?" the older girl said.  "You're in the news again."  She drew a newspaper out of her duster and passed it to Remy, who scrambled over his seat and into the roomy rear of the van.

Remy read aloud from the paper.  "'Wendigo Terrorizes Canadian Campers: Wildlife Authorities Baffled By Attacks'.  Ain't dat a hoot, Musty?  We ain't even IN da frozen north no more.  Maybe you got family out dere, eh?"

A rather doubtful grunt, accompanied by a bit of loud scratching.  

"Ugh.  Say, chere?  You t'ink we can stop at a car wash soon?  Ol' Musty, he gettin' a bit ripe."

She smirked.  "If another guy can smell him, he's WAY past ripe, Remy.  We'll stop in a minute."

Remy turned his attention to a rough, off-white object that resembled a huge egg.  "Don't you worry, petite," he said in a soothing voice, running his fingers gently over the hard shell.  "Remy be right here when you come out.  Den we get you somethin' real nice, hear?"

Wanda Maximoff sighed inwardly and adjusted her rear-view mirror.  "Strap in, gang," she said, starting the engine.  "We're off!"

The sky blue van rumbled to life, shuddered oddly, and suddenly darkened to a forest green color as it backed out of the alley, straightened itself, and zoomed down the street. 


	6. Things to Do at Midnight When You're Bor...

Note: This chapter will shed a little more light on Nate & Wanda's past (together), as well as the mysterious mutant duo in the van.  Plus, there's three new mutants some might recognize.

Chapter 6: Things to Do When You're Bored (at Midnight)

It was a dream he'd had at least once a week ever since he'd left Wanda, and it never changed.

In the dream, Nate would wake up from a nightmare (dreaming within a dream was NEVER a good sign) in a cold sweat.  He would then look to the left and see Wanda sitting on the windowsill, watching the sun rise as she always did.  He would conveniently forget that they no longer lived together in the loft in Soho, and that Wanda was currently trucking around the country (or "vanning" as he'd always put it).

The dream itself wasn't really a bad thing.  It did, however, constantly remind Nate that Wanda had not just been a traveling companion.  Back then, he'd taken her presence for granted.  But even in the dream, there was something about waking up in the same room as her that made living seem worth all the trouble.  Whether that was because Wanda was the one person who understood him, or because she was a kindred spirit, he couldn't say for sure.

Either way, waking up without her nearby was definitely nowhere near as relaxing.  Especially since the dream liked to occur around midnight and leave Nate with a really annoying case of insomnia.

He briefly considered waking Piotr, but decided against.  Piotr was a nice guy, but Nate was pretty sure waking him up at this hour would still earn him an armor-coated fist to the head.

It was then that he felt the mental equivalent of a tentative poke.  ~"Nate?  Are you still up?"~

Nate sat up and yawned.  ~"Yeah, Yana.  What is it?  Nightmare?  Midnight munchies?"~

~"No, I couldn't sleep."~  There was a tiny hint of frustration in her tone.

~"Want me to come read you a story?"~  Nate asked, glad to have something to do.

~"No, you better not.  I'm not s'posed to ask for help unless there's big trouble or a 'mergency.  Jubilee says that's what being independent's all about.  She sounded pretty sure about it, so…"~

Nate smiled.  ~"She does have a point, Yana.  But if you don't want my help, why did you call me?"~

~"Um.  I thought, since I couldn't sleep, and you're kinda in my head, maybe you couldn't sleep, either.  So, I figured if neither of us could sleep, we might as well talk and keep each other busy."~

~"Well…I would like that, but you have class in the morning, and I have to see the Professor again.  So maybe we should try to get some sleep."~

~"But I did try.  It doesn't work!"~ she complained.

~"That's something I can help you with.  Don't worry, even independent people need help getting to sleep some nights."~

~"Okay.  But don't tell Jubilee!"~

~"My lips are sealed.  Now, open your mind to me."~

~"Is it gonna feel funny?"~

~"No, more like someone draping a blanket over your head…which makes perfect sense, when you think about it."~  As he spoke, Nate subtly slipped in among Illyana's thoughts and inserted a simple suggestion.

By the time he'd finished the sentence she was fast asleep.  "Sweet dreams, Yana," he whispered faintly, letting the connection fade.  

Unfortunately, that left him, yet again, with nothing to do.

Nate turned to gaze at his window.  "Wish you were here, Wanda," he whispered.  "I was never bored with you around."

* * * * *

Wanda likened the sensation to a tickle just behind her ear.  Exactly what it felt like wasn't the issue, though.

Nate had been thinking of her…perhaps even missing their being together as much as she had.

The night before he'd left, he'd told her everything: how he was a ticking, telekinetic time bomb, how he was going to die, and how he didn't want her to be hurt when he did go out with a bang.  His last act had been to weaken their telepathic link to a point where it only picked up the most basic sensations: life and death.  If Wanda were to die, he would know.  When she experienced triumph, he would know.  She'd joked about what might happen if she took a cute guy home, and Nate had been somewhat vague about how much would be filtered through to him.

Maybe he'd just expected her to know that he could and would respect her privacy.

Maybe he'd known then (and damn him for not telling her if he had) that there would be no cute guys.  Well, there was Remy, but he was clearly lying about his age.  Wanda could never touch him intimately without feeling like a horrible person.  Whether the lack of cute guys was just natural, or if she was subconsciously rejecting every guy that wasn't enough like Nate, Wanda couldn't be sure.  But that was odd, since the farthest she'd ever gotten with him was waking up in his arms.  Nate always gave off that "you're-my-best-friend" vibe that she'd learned to put up with, no matter how infuriating it was.  She'd half-expected him to make a face and run for fear of cooties; he was so child-like sometimes: a seven-year old in a teenager's body.  

It would've been annoying in anyone else, but with Nate, it was just fun and fast and…easy.  She didn't have to try to be someone she wasn't around him, she didn't have to hide her powers, and she didn't have to worry about him trying to cop a feel (though she wouldn't have stopped him, probably).  Nate liked her exactly as she was, and that had impressed her.  He never asked her to dress up or paint her face.  In fact, most times he told her to cover up and wear less "face paint"…which was sweet, since Wanda saw that as an attempt to refuse his lust for her body and a desire to see the real her.

Just when she was about to doze off with a vision of Nate in her head, there was a hard poke in her ribs.

Wanda shook her head and glanced down, only to find the very large head of a Komodo dragon sniffing at her duster.  "Oh.  Still awake, Musty?"  She stroked the scaly head gently.  "You know, I've just realized something.  All your transformations have been either mythical or really rare animals so far.  Think you could do a gargoyle or a kraken?"

The Komodo dragon sneezed, sounding a bit grumpy.

"You don't have to get touchy about it.  I just always wanted a pet gargoyle."

There was a sound not entirely like "bamf," but a lot closer to "boomf."

Wanda waved her hand to clear away the slight clouds of smoke, and found that her Komodo dragon had grown huge, leathery wings.  "Well, I guess it's a start.  Thanks for trying, Musty."  She offered him a bright smile.

There was a grunt of what might have been happiness just before Musty dropped his large head in her lap and began to snore.

Wanda couldn't help chuckling as she patted his head.  She glanced over to where Remy had fallen asleep, propped up against their oversized egg.  "Not a bad idea."

Moving slowly under the weight of Musty's head, Wanda moved to lean against the egg, finding it surprisingly warm at her touch.  Taking that to be a good sign, she patted it fondly and laid her cheek against the smooth surface.  "Sweet dreams, little one," she whispered, closing her eyes.

A moment later, Musty slowly wandered over, once again in the hunched over form of the Wendigo.  Moving carefully, he slid between the side of the van and the egg, draping his huge, furry arms around the egg and the two teens, in something of a brotherly embrace.  Within seconds, he was asleep again, his chin resting carefully on the very top of the egg..

Deep inside the egg, a young life shifted, and then settled down to finish its long nap.

* * * * *

"Most troubling," Charles Xavier whispered as he removed the Cerebro headset.

There had been absolutely no trace of Wanda Maximoff.  She was either dead, or shielded from Cerebro somehow.  Magneto was one of the few people who could provide her with such information, but why would he, and would she even accept his help?  They were certainly not on good terms, Charles knew that much for a fact.  

But Nate seemed too sure that Wanda was alive, and that Cerebro couldn't find her.  Perhaps he knew of another way to find or summon her.  It was certainly possible, given the unpredictable nature of Wanda's powers.  

Still, it would've been nice to see the proof of her existence for himself.

Xavier sighed and turned his wheelchair around, leaving Cerebro's chamber with several doubts in his head.  Maybe that was why he nearly collided with one of his students.

Or maybe said student shouldn't have been wandering the halls so late in the first place.

"Jubilee!" Xavier cried in surprise.

Jubilee jumped back in shock…or maybe it was guilt.  "Um.  Hi, Professor!  You got the munchies, too?"

"No, I was…"  Xavier trailed off.  "What were YOU doing out of bed this late, child?"

"Oh, you noticed," she sighed.  "Well, I could say I was getting cocoa for Yana, but then I'd have to explain what I was doing all the way down here."

"That was my next question…"

"The truth is, I was actually getting some warm milk for myself.  Had some trouble sleeping."

"I see."  Xavier reached out and touched the large mug she was holding.  "Do you always prefer you warm milk…ice cold?"

Jubilee blushed in the dim hallway.  "Okay, ya got me.  I was down here for another reason."

"And that would be…?"

"I was hoping I'd bump into Mr. Logan.  As in corner him so he couldn't slip into the shadows again."

Xavier arched an eyebrow.  "Might I ask why you needed to bother the poor man at this hour?"

Jubilee shrugged.  "I guess I could have waited, but I'm curious NOW, and I might forget by morning."

"What did you wish to ask?"

She shifted uneasily.  "You know how when you gave Logan some answers, he ran off?"

"He came back, Jubilee."

"I know that.  But…Nate might not."

"…I thought we were talking about Logan?"

"We were.  But Nate's not Logan, and…I don't want him to go, Professor.  He's been so good for Yana, and if he left, it would break her little heart."

"And you hoped to keep him here by asking Logan to threaten the boy?"

Jubilee smiled.  "Well, that IS an idea…but no.  I was gonna ask Logan if Magneto had ever gotten mouthy and mentioned his kid.  You know how egotistical bad guys always talk too much when they think they've got you…"

"I really doubt Magneto would ever mention Wanda to an opponent.  He was never really comfortable talking about her at all, not even to his closest friends."

"But since I found you," Jubilee said suddenly, patting his shoulder.  "If you could possibly take your time in this whole search for Wanda…?"

"Jubilee.  I will not withhold information that could save Nate's life.  If he must leave us to become healthy, so be it.  While I am concerned for Illyana's happiness, I am far more concerned for her safety, and that of every other student here.  If her being unhappy means she continues to live…well, she has her brother."  Xavier sighed.  "However, you need not worry.  I've had no luck finding Wanda with Cerebro."

Jubilee couldn't help smiling.  "Request permission to cheer?"

Xavier frowned.  "I would advise against it.  You're in enough trouble as it is.  Now, off to bed with you, child.  I had better not hear one report of you falling asleep in classes tomorrow."

"Okay, I'm going."  Jubilee leaned down and kissed his forehead.  "Night, Prof."

Xavier smiled slightly as she turned to go.  "Goodnight, Jubilation."

* * * * *

Senator Robert Kelly was not a man that liked to answer his phone after hours.  Had anyone happened to walk into his office, they might've only thought that the senator had suffered a change of heart.  They could not know that was the least of the changes.

For one thing, Kelly had been dead for some months now.

The person sitting in his chair certainly looked enough like Kelly, even sounded and acted like he did.  But that was where the similarities ended.

The phone ran precisely three minutes after midnight, and "Kelly" picked up on the second ring.

"Give me good news, son," Kelly said.

There was a dry laugh from the other end.  "Hello, 'Mother'.  We're in Maine."

"Already?  Then I take it the doggie's behaving himself?"

"He's been most cooperative.  Keeps going on about how he'd be dead if it wasn't for my father.  It's even starting to get a bit annoying."

"He's worth the big mouth, son.  How did your trip go?"

"Very productive.  We found our friend without much trouble.  He seems to like being out and about.  Not half as hands-on as he was at first, though, thanks to whatever was in that package."

"Merely a mock carbonadium synthesizer.  It won't fix the problem, but it will keep him from sucking you both dry.  You keep an eye on him.  He doesn't owe us as much as the doggie, and he might change sides if it suits him."

"I don't think he will.  For now, he's quite excited about our plans.  Especially when I mentioned a certain student of Xavier's."

"That can wait.  You do remember our first priority, don't you?"

"Of course.  I am as interested in seeing my sister alive as anyone else."

"And which sister would mean by that, Pietro?"

"Does it matter?" he replied.

"No, I suppose it doesn't.  You be careful, boy.  I want to be able to tell Magneto you've done exactly what you were supposed to."

"You worry too much, Mystique," Pietro said.  "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you thought you really were my mother…which wouldn't be so bad if you weren't an old man at the moment."

Mystique smirked as she hung up.  "Touché, son of Magnus," she murmured, looking pleased.  "I look forward to seeing you again."

* * * * *

"Good to see you haven't run off," Pietro said as he climbed into the truck.  "I'd hate to have to chase you down."  He paused and laughed, shaking his head.  "Actually, I wouldn't."

The larger mutant shook his head.  "Would never run from you, Brother-Pietro."

"You just keep thinking like that and we'll do fine."  He started the truck and jerked his head back, indicating the refrigerated container behind them.  "Any noise from him?"

"No, Brother-Pietro.  He only says that he likes the cold."

"He should.  He's been in it for at least a century, if my Russian serves me correctly.  If that didn't make him cold-blooded, I don't know what would."

"Can we trust him, Brother-Pietro?"

"A good question, my friend.  One that will be answered soon, I think.  For now, just watch your back.  And if you start to feel tired or sick, tell me at once."

Behind them, surrounded by incredible cold, a mutant with bone-white skin, pale blond hair, and crimson eyes sat on an ice block.  Despite the temperature and the movements of the trucks, he never budged.  He only stared straight ahead, with a vicious snarl on his lips and a crimson glare in his eyes.  Affixed to his chest, making a slight, constant humming, was a device that literally kept him from killing himself.  It would, however, allow him to kill more efficiently, and that would be very important in the coming days…

* * * * *

Things to Do When You're Bored @ Midnight

Sing a telepathic lullaby to a friend.  – Nate Remember old friends.  – Wanda Dream about older female friends.  – Remy Transform for a friend/caretaker.  – Musty Go hunting for Wolverines.  – Jubilee Search for long-lost relatives.  – Xavier Impersonate your enemies.  – Mystique Track down an old friend.  -- ??? Practice Crimson Death Glare.  -- ??? 


	7. About A Girl

Notes: The first scene may be a bit too graphic for some.  Sorry.

For anyone who wondered about where the egg-being came from, pay close attention.

Piotr's traveling pals will be named, at last.

Also, a hint as to why Cerebro can't find Wanda.

Chapter 7: About A Girl

Jimmy Rigone was not a nice person.  He had a habit of getting drunk and beating his children.  One could argue that he beat them because of the drinking, or that he only beat them when he was drunk.  One could not, however, argue that the children deserved such treatment.  None of them were his by birth, and none had asked to be placed in his so-called care.  Perhaps their mother could be blamed for that, had she lived.

Unfortunately, nature generally only provides children with so many ways to defend themselves (none of which could hold off a man of Jimmy's stature for very long).  The two girls awoke on the youngest one's fifth birthday to find their older brother's broken body at the bottom of a staircase.  Ten minutes later, they were running for their lives, but to no avail.  Jimmy caught them fairly easily, and had his hand raised to strike the little one when he got the shock of his life.

Instead of the sting of flesh on flesh, he felt a sharp, shooting pain originate from his palm and spread throughout his arm.  By the time he could collect his thoughts, Jimmy would find himself in an emergency room with a huge bone spear buried in his hand.

Police never found the youngest girl, though the other was found not too far from the house.  By the time they found her, however, she had bled to death from the numerous cuts covering her body.  Matching bone fragments were found embedded in her, and the police had little choice but to arrest Jimmy for the murder of all three children.

Such a crime was taken lightly by no one, and Jimmy was meant to die in prison.  He did.  But it was not an inmate or suicidal urge that took his life.

According to the coroner's report, he starved himself to death.  But anyone who had seen Jimmy hours before knew that to be a lie.  He had always been a big man, and no manner of fasting would kill him in a single night.  However, there was simply no other explanation for Jimmy's emaciated condition when he was found dead in his cell.

None that average humans would be familiar with, anyway.

* * * * *

Nate rolled his eyes.  "I told you Cerebro wouldn't help you find her," he said.

"Yes, you did," Xavier agreed with a slight frown.  "But I fail to see how you could locate Wanda without the use of Cerebro, Nate."

"No, you don't get it.  YOU can't find her using Cerebro, but I can."

"…I have already shared with you my feelings on that matter."

Nate shook his head.  "Okay.  Between the two of us, who would you say is stronger telepathically?"

Xavier raised an eyebrow.  "I think we both know the answer to that."

"Yeah, but I'm trying to make a point.  I'm trying to work with you, but you're not helping me out.  Now, we both know that if I really felt I needed to, I could walk right over you."

Xavier could not help but feel a bit unsteady as Nate narrowed his eyes.  "That would do more harm than good in the end.  I think you would find my students can be very difficult if provoked in such a manner."

"Very few people can prove difficult when their minds are shut down," Nate replied smoothly.  "As far as I'm concerned, you're keeping me from a cure and a good friend.  You're a roadblock, Professor.  I can be a good driver and detour for now, but stay in my way and I'm trading the family car in for a steamroller."

"I wish you would give this more thought, Nate," Xavier said as the young man stood to leave.  "There are better ways to reach your goals than by force."

"Sorry, Professor.  But in the short time I've lived, I've always found that when I use force, I only lose if someone stronger is around and willing to fight.  That's not the case here."

"Violence is not the answer," Xavier insisted.

Nate sighed heavily.  "I don't like being the bad guy.  But I'd rather be bad for a few minutes occasionally than be dead forever."  He slowly opened the door to the study.  "I don't get why you won't let me use Cerebro.  Can't you see that if I don't, you'll all die the moment I do?  Everyone and everything you care about will be gone.  Doesn't that mean anything to you?  Shouldn't that loss outweigh any possible consequences my using Cerebro might have?  And another thing.  Just because I'm strong doesn't mean I go charging around like a bull all the time.  If you just gave me a chance, you might find out I know more about my powers than you think."

* * * * *

Carol Danvers had always loved children.

She'd known from the time she was five that she wanted to spend her life in service to them.  So it was no surprise that she eventually built her own adoption agency.

There were some initial problems, though.

For one thing, Carol had a very big heart, and often went out of her way to bring in children that no one else wanted.  Many time, they were deformed, or just "haunted" by a string of unexplainable events that resulted in them being unwanted.

Such was the case of a girl that Carol had called Annie.  It wasn't her real name, but it was as good as any other, and she'd never offered a word of protest…or a word at all, for that matter.

Annie had merely shown up on Carol's doorstep one day, carrying a filthy teddy bear and a lot of bruises.  She never revealed how she got either, or where she came from.  It didn't matter to Carol, so long as the child was safe with her.

But safety was not something that stayed with Annie for long.  She would always turn up with fresh bruises, especially on her face.  But she never cried or complained.  In fact, it was almost as if she were totally unaware of her wounds…until the day Carol caught the girl slicing up her arm with a butcher knife.

Against her better judgment, she'd spanked Annie for the first and last time.

The living room never really recovered, and Carol lost the use of one eye for good.  She was spared the agonizing decision of whether to keep Annie or not: the girl vanished before Carol got out of the hospital.

All Carol ever found was a hastily written apology and a trail of blood spatters that led into a sewer.

* * * * *

"It's not fair!"

Piotr looked up from his textbook at once.  Anyone else might not have, since most children said something along those lines nearly every week.  But Illyana was not like most children, in that she rarely complained unless she was really, truly upset.  

"There's no one here my age," Illyana said, pouting for good measure.

This was, of course, not quite what Piotr was expecting.  "Why should you need a friend your own age, snowflake?  You have Jubilee, Nate, Kitty, and-"

"And none of them are my age!" Illyana interrupted.  "It's not the same, Piotr.  I want a friend my age.  Someone who won't get tired of games I like to play and go off to do Grown Up stuff."

Piotr could not deny the reasoning behind that.  "It is not entirely our fault, snowflake.  There is often less time to play as one grows older."

Illyana frowned.  "But Nate's older and he plays more than kids younger than him."

"I am discovering that Nate does not represent average people, Illyana.  He is an exception to many rules.  And I still fail to see why he no longer pleases you." 

"It's not that!" Illyana said quickly, perhaps fearing someone might tell Nate or try to take him away.  "It's just…he's bigger than me.  And he's a guy.  He won't understand me when I get older.  Neither will you, Piotr.  That's the way it works.  I need a girl my age to hang out with."

Piotr sighed.  "I understand your concern.  But friends do not just fall out of trees…OR crash through windows," he added, noticing the look on her face.  "Most of them do not, that is.  Sometimes they can be rather hard to find."

"Then…I just have to wait?" Illyana asked sadly.

"I am afraid so, snowflake," Piotr confirmed, patting her head.  "You must realize, this is a school for mutants.  Most do not learn they have powers until they are past your age.  It may be a long time before another child comes here."

"Well…couldn't we ask Professor X to find one?  There's got to be some kid with powers out there!"

"But if they came here, then YOU would want powers," Piotr reasoned.  "That is not mine to give, Illyana…nor is a friend your age."

"Can't you ask him to, anyway?" Illyana asked hopefully, tugging on her brother's arm.  "Pleeease?"

"I will mention it," Piotr promised.  "But I do not think the Professor will alter his searching very much on the basis that you want another playmate, snowflake…"

* * * * *

Carol didn't get many visitors, so when she heard the doorbell she was stunned.  Fortunately, her visitors were very insistent on speaking with her, so they didn't leave, even though it took her some time to reach the door.

Peering through the peephole revealed two huge men in long overcoats and a younger man wearing white.

"Ms. Danvers?" the younger man asked, staring back at her.  "We only ask for a few minutes of your time."

"In regard to what, exactly?" Carol asked warily.  She'd seen far too many movies about this kind of setup.

"We're searching for a…relative, you might say.  We have reason to believe she passed through here about a year ago."

"Could you be more specific?"

"A young girl, by the name of Sarah.  She has short red hair, is very quiet, and-"

The door opened.  

"…I called her Annie," Carol whispered hoarsely, tears in her eyes.  "She never said a word…"

The young man nodded.  "She has an awful habit of running when she's afraid or uncomfortable."

"She…ran away a while ago.  No one's been able to find her.  But it was my fault…I shouldn't have spanked her…but I had to do SOMETHING, she was hurting herself…"

"How so?" he asked, looking very concerned.

"She was…cutting up her arm with a…a HUGE knife…I just had to make her understand that she could have killed herself, and to never do it again."  Carol shuddered and hid her face in her hands, clearly reliving the memory in her mind.

The young man patted her shoulders gently.  "Has she contacted you since she left?"

"No….not one word.  Please…you have to find her…she doesn't know when she's hurting herself!"

"We'll do our best, Ms. Danvers," he assured her.  "Thank you so much for your time."  With that, he stepped quickly of the porch, followed closely by the two men.  

"Well?" growled one of them.  "Was it the right child?"

"No doubt about it," Pietro confirmed.  "Right, Cal?"

"Caliban could still sense her, Brother-Pietro," said the other.  "Child-Sarah has been here before."

"You should've let me drain the woman," muttered the first.

Pietro smirked.  "Nonsense, comrade.  You've 'eaten' quite enough today.  Killing her would not suit our purposes.  Sarah might still return one day.  We can't risk her not being here if that happens."    

"Then where do we go now, Maximoff?"

"Wherever Cal's nose takes us.  We'll find the girl, Arkady.  Once we do, everything else falls into place."

* * * * *

Remy woke up with a dull throbbing sensation on his arm.  At first, he had no idea what it was.  Then he suddenly remembered what day it was.

It had become a tradition.  Every two or three months, Wanda would track down a tattoo parlor that didn't mind exceptionally young/brave kids with fistfuls of money.  

Remy loved the idea, had started out with a King of Hearts on his arm, and was planning to eventually get every single card of hearts on his arms and again on his back (when it grew enough, anyway).  This time, he'd gone with a queen on his left arm.  

They'd only coaxed Musty into doing it on Halloween, despite the fact that Wanda's power made the tattoos painless (initially, anyway, but if there was no pain, the body wouldn't know to heal, or so Wanda said).

Their egg-friend had a tiny butterfly on her left shoulder (she hadn't been encased at the time), but that was a while ago, and Wanda was hoping she'd emerge soon so they could get her another one…maybe a daisy or a bunny.

Remy had forgotten why the tattoos were so vital, so he shook Wanda awake and asked her again.

Looking more than a bit disheveled and grumpy, Wanda said, "Well, you remember the Big Jerk?"

"Ah.  You mean Magneto?"

"Yeah.  Anyway, we don't want him to find us.  That's what the tattoos are for."

"How dey work again, chere?"

"They don't, by themselves.  But, with a little touch," she said, twiddling her fingers, "we've got instant psi-jammers.  That means nobody with a big head or evil intentions spots us."

"But Magneto not a telepath."

"He could GET one.  I know him, Remy.  You wouldn't want to meet him, and I plan to keep it that way."

"But…dat mean yo' boyfriend can't find us, don' it, chere?"

Wanda shrugged, smiling and purposely not correcting Remy's mistake.  "Nate could find me if he really had to.  He knows how.  We think alike, so to speak."  She glanced back at the egg, half hidden by Musty's massive body.  "Unfortunately, unlike the tattoos, the jammers aren't permanent.  Our little munchkin's must be a couple of months old by now.  I was hoping she'd come out sooner, but we can't rush her."

"We jus' have to watch out for her like we always do.  No biggie."

Wanda shook her head.  "You don't know Magneto, Remy.  He could take me even in a fair fight.  He's got more experience with his powers.  I don't know that any one mutant could take him down."

"You worry too much, chere.  Nobody mess wit da Crimson Tide."

"You have GOT to think up a better team name, Remy…"

* * * * *

Storm had almost finished her patrol shift for the night when she sensed a disturbance in the air currents.

She checked her watch, realizing that if she were not in the gardens in two minutes, Logan would come looking for her, wondering why she hadn't traded shifts with him.  Hopefully, though, it was just one of the students out of bed too late and nothing more.

Just then, there was a bright flash of light from the roof of the school, and Storm quickly flew up, wondering if she should've called for assistance.

However, all she found on the roof was Nate…at least, she thought it was Nate.

For one thing, whenever Nate used his powers, there was never a visible energy trail.  For another, the way the person was glowing like a living lighthouse, it was hard to recognize a face.  But Storm did recognize the clothes as the same ones Nate had been wearing earlier, so there was little doubt in her mind.

~"Sorry, Storm,"~ he apologized suddenly, the glow fading away abruptly.  Nate opened his eyes and turned to look at her.  "Did I wake you?"

"No…no, Nate.  I was on patrol and…noticed you."

"Guess you're wondering why I'm up here right now, huh?"

"Among other things, yes.  Most students would receive some kind of reprimand for being out this late."  

 Nate shrugged.  "I didn't mean to break any rules.  It's just…the Professor won't let me use Cerebro, so I've been trying to find Wanda on my own."

"No luck?" Storm asked, coming to stand beside him.  

"I'm thinking I'd have better luck finding a needle in a haystack."  Nate sighed heavily.  "Wanda's always been good at hiding.  The thing is, she hides REALLY well when she wants to."

"You have no way to find her at all, other than Cerebro?"

"Well, I HAD a way.  We both just figured I'd be powerful enough to slip past her hiding spots.  But I've only realized recently that I was that powerful for a reason.  Whether she knew it or not, Wanda was boosting my powers.  Without her I'm psi-blind.  But I guess if I was with her, I wouldn't need to find her."

"Then what will you do now?" Storm asked.

"Keep looking, I guess.  Maybe she'll actually contact me.  I can't give up.  There's too many people I care about here to just lose hope."

"I agree," Storm said, placing a hand on his shoulder.  "But do you really think threatening the Professor is wise?"

Nate smiled darkly.  "Heard about that, I see."

"Oh, yes.  You made quite an impression on him."

"I just don't understand him.  He devotes all his energy to a dream of humans and mutants living in peace.  If he was a living time bomb, would he just sit there and let his dream die with him, not to mention most of the planet?"  

"I cannot say, Nate.  Personally, I would also be seeking a cure, if not to end my own pain, then to at least keep others from suffering."

"You know, you'd make a great goddess," Nate commented with a smile.  "Assuming I don't blow up, I'll build you a little shrine in the gardens."

Storm laughed.  "That is not necessary, Nate.  But I appreciate the thought.  Now, please give some thought to sleeping inside.  The next person who finds you up here might not be as forgiving as I am."

"If you mean Logan, I think I'll just go in with you," Nate replied.  "For my own protection, of course."

"Of course," Storm agreed, slipping her arm through his.

"Hey, um…is there a rule against students dating teachers?"

Storm shot him a warning look.  "I am certain I could find one."

"Well…is there one against teachers dating students?  I could say you dragged me out here to have your way with me."

"And who would believe such a ridiculous story?"

"We could use something else.  Let's just get our stories straight before Logan assaults me.  I was doing a nature project, and you were…um…supervising."

"At midnight," Storm said, giving him a look of disbelief.

"…okay, it's an astronomy project."

"Logan can practically smell liars, Nate."

"…you could've just told me that."

"I believe I did.  Why not just tell him the truth when he finds us?"

"Are you nuts?  That's no fun at all…"


	8. Wish Upon A Bear

Notes: I TOLD you to pay attention to the bear…

For everyone guessing at the egg's identity, there's a 90% chance you're right…  

If you run into any names you don't recognize or can't quite recall, they should be easy enough to find on any in-depth Marvel Comics website.

Chapter 8: Wish Upon A Bear

Even in his plastic prison, Erik Magnus Lensherr was a busy man.

Through his trusted, long-time companion, the shape-shifter Mystique, he had managed to orchestrate something of a rescue mission...but not for himself.  

No, the mutant known as Magneto was content to stay where he was, for the moment.  As long as weekly updates from Mystique assured that his plans were progressing on schedule, he had no reason to escape.  True, the guards sometimes became "hands-on" with their favorite prisoner, but their time would come.  When it did, there would be no mercy for the wicked and unjust.

They, among many others, failed to appreciate the true genius of the Master of Magnetism.

In truth, the plan had been rather simple.  All it took was a single phone call to summon Pietro, who was all too ready to finally prove himself to his father.  After training himself in the use of his powers for years, Pietro was arguably the fastest boy alive…or, at least, fast enough to fit Magneto's purposes.

It had taken some time, but Pietro eventually located Caliban, one of the few surviving Morlocks, a near-forgotten band of sewer-dwelling mutants.  Of course, enlisting his tracking abilities, which allowed him to find virtually any mutant anywhere, would come in handy.  Earning Caliban's trust had been simple, too.  He walked in to visit Magneto looking like a decrepit old man, and walked out a hulking powerhouse.  Apparently, only a problem with his blood flow had hindered his strength for so long, and such a thing was easy for Magneto to correct.

Then the duo was off to Russia to liberate Arkady Rossovich, better known as Omega Red.  Being cryogenically frozen for so long had left Arkady with a strange preference for cold temperatures, but the lure of a device only a generation away from a carbonadium synthesizer had been to great for him to resist.  He, too, agreed to work for Magneto, if only so he could walk the world without too much fear of being eaten alive by his own mutant curse.

Confident that his trio of Acolytes could handle any problems that got in their way, Magneto sent them to find the last piece of the puzzle: his long-lost daughter, Wanda Maximoff.  She would not be happy to see him, though she might at least listen to her brother.  If not, then Omega Red's synthesizer would allow his pheromones to merely stun instead of kill.  Either way, Wanda would be delivered, and then Magneto would have everything he needed to make his fondest wish come true.

But Wanda was hiding, and the only way to get to her was to find her friends.  Perhaps it was only chance that two mutants stood out prominently in Caliban's memory of the assault on the Morlocks: Gambit, their mysterious savior, and Sarah, a young girl briefly entrusted to Caliban's care.  There was no guarantee that Gambit would stay with Wanda, but Magneto knew his daughter well.  She would never abandon a child in need, and they didn't come any more helpless than Sarah.

It was only a matter of time now…

* * * * *

Jubilee was the first to notice Nate staring sadly at his oatmeal.  "It's not so bad if you dump sugar in it," she offered helpfully.

Nate looked up.  "Huh?  Oh, no.  That's not what's bothering me."

"Woman trouble?" Illyana asked, getting looks from everyone at the table.  "What?!" she cried defensively.

"Well, she's half right," Nate agreed, patting Illyana's back.  "I've just…got a feeling that Wanda's gonna be in some big trouble real soon.  Can't prove it, though…"

"So you can't go to the Prof and ask him to look into it," Jubilee concluded.

"Yeah.  Not that he could find her in the first place.  If he'd just give me five minutes, I KNOW I could find her…"

Jubilee got a thoughtful look in her eyes.  "Five minutes, huh?"

Kitty looked up sharply.  "NO, Jubilee!  I know that look!"

"What?  What look?" Nate asked, clearly confused.

"That's her scheming look," Kitty explained, picking up her tray.  "It means she's going to get someone in major trouble.  In fact, I better go before I get dragged into it."

Jubilee stuck out her tongue at Kitty's back.  "Tell you what, Nate.  I can get you your five minutes with Cerebro.  But you have to do something for me."

"Name it," Nate said.

"Promise you won't leave the second you find her.  And if you ever decide to leave, you give us a week's notice."

Nate scratched his head.  "…who told you I was leaving?  Assuming I can find Wanda and guide her here safely, there won't be any need."

"Oh.  Well, you should have no problem sticking to the deal, right?"  Jubilee held out her hand.

"Uh…sure, okay," Nate replied, shaking her hand.  "But…exactly how are you going to get me into Cerebro?"

"Don't tell anyone, but breaking and entering was an old hobby of mine.  Before I got here, of course."

"Secret's safe with me, Jubes.  I'm no stranger to the five-finger discount myself…only I never needed my fingers to pull it off."

Jubilee grinned.  "I KNEW I was gonna like you."

* * * * *

Caliban sniffed carefully at the oil streak.  "Child-Sarah was here not long ago.  Day or two, maybe.  She is…safe."

"Safe?  How do you know that?" Pietro asked.

Caliban shrugged as he stood up.  "Sometimes, Brother-Pietro, Caliban just know."

"Fair enough.  Anyone with her?"

"Yes.  Friend-Gambit, another mutant, and Sister-Wanda."

Pietro smiled.  "Good work, Cal.  Father will be pleased."

Caliban froze.  "Wait.  Another smell."

"What?  Here?  Who is it?"

Caliban sniffed at the alley wall, his eyes widening.  "Mother-Callisto?!"

"Callisto?" Pietro asked skeptically.  "I thought she was killed in the massacre?"

"So did Caliban.  But…"  Caliban sniffed again, the hope in his eyes fading.  "…gone now."

"Don't stress yourself over it, Cal," Pietro said, patting his shoulder.  "It was just your mind playing tricks on you.  Happens to all of us, eventually."

"Caliban misses her," the larger mutant sighed, a tear rolling down his round, white face.

"I know, my friend.  Mothers seem to be in rare supply where our kind is concerned.  Come, we'd better make sure Arkady's been behaving himself."  
  


* * * * *

"We're going to get caught," Kitty moaned pitifully.

"No, we're not," Nate replied.  "We'll be in and out, and no one but Jubilee and Yana will ever know."

"But…it's so OBVIOUS!  Don't you think the Professor would've upgraded his security since I learned to walk through walls?"

Nate smirked.  "No offense, Kitty, but you don't really strike me as the type of person that would break into anything, even with your power."

"Then WHY are you making me do this?!"

"If we DO get caught, which we won't, you can blame it on me.  Say I controlled your thoughts.  It's nothing I haven't done before."

"You've controlled my thoughts before?!" Kitty cried, outraged.

"NO!  I've done it to others, not you.  I have some integrity."

She frowned.  "Well, breaking into Cerebro doesn't really make it stand out."

"Hey, I wouldn't have to if the Professor wasn't so selfish with his toys," Nate shot back.

"It is NOT a toy."

"He treats it like an executive washroom.  Half the time I expected him to stick out his tongue and go, 'Mine!'"

Kitty giggled.  "Stop it!  That's not funny!"

"You're the one that laughed, not me.  And I never-"

~"Nate!  Jubilee says go now!"~

~"Thanks, Yana.  We're going."~  Nate gave Kitty's hand a gentle squeeze.  "Ready?"

Kitty pouted for all the good it did.  "No."  With a sigh, she reached out, testing the thickness of Cerebro's door before phasing through it, tugging Nate along after her.

Nate had some idea of what Cerebro would look like, based on what Jubilee had told him (she'd managed a few peeks).  Kitty, though, was overwhelmed by the sheer size of the room.

"Wow," she whispered softly, staring up and around.

Nate immediately moved forward, not even bothering to sit down as he picked up the headpiece.  Taking a deep breath, he cleared his mind, put the headpiece on, and thought only of Wanda.

Almost instantly, he was rewarded with a dark map of the globe, lit up by one red light centered in Nevada.   

"That's new," Nate muttered to himself.  "Don't think I know you, little one…"

"Nate!" Kitty hissed, tugging on his arm.  "I think someone's coming!"

"No way.  We left Yana on lookout."

~"Nate!  Dr. Grey's coming!  I couldn't stop her!"~

~"Okay, Yana.  We're done here.  See you soon."~  Nate removed the headpiece and took Kitty's hand.  "Up or down?"

Kitty hesitated, and then decided, "Down!"

Nate shrugged.  "I would've gone up, but…"

"No time!"  Kitty shut her eyes and made them both intangible, phasing through the bottom of the chamber.

They landed in a heap next to a very shiny motorcycle.

"Ow!" Kitty moaned.  "What did I land on?"

"My hip," Nate groaned.

"Now there's somethin' ya don't see everyday," a gruff voice rumbled.

Kitty turned white.  "Uh…I can explain, Mr. Logan."

"Well, let's see.  You two, sneakin' around in the garage.  I'd say there's only so many things you two could be up to."

Kitty turned bright red, and Nate only laughed weakly.

"Although, I have to say.  In my day, makin' out looked a lot more comfortable."

"No kidding," Nate muttered, earning a smack on the head from Kitty.

* * * * *

Xavier stared at his three young students.  "I have heard some tales, over the years, from various students, that were very hard to believe.  But this one, I must say, is the most difficult to fathom.  Perhaps I just need to hear it again."

Bobby lowered his gaze, trying not to look wounded, despite the ice pack he was pressing to his forehead.  "I…um…kissed Marie."

Marie turned scarlet and refused to make eye contact with anyone.

"And what possessed you to do that?" Xavier asked.

"Jubilee dared me to."

All eyes turned to Jubilee, who, frankly, didn't seem to grasp the seriousness of the situation.  "What?" she asked innocently.  "I didn't think he'd be stupid enough to actually DO it!"  
  


"Be that as it may, Bobby could've been severely hurt.  Marie, how did you—"

"I-I pulled away," Marie stammered quickly.  "Well, after a second.  He…kinda caught me off guard…"

Bobby could not help looking just a bit proud…before Xavier glanced at him, anyway.

"…and then he just hit the floor," Marie finished.

"With his face," Jubilee added helpfully.

"Thank you, Jubilee," Xavier sighed.  "I'm afraid you and Bobby must be punished.  Marie, you may go."

"Hey!" Bobby protested as Marie fled from Xavier's office.  "Why am I getting punished?  I'm the victim!"

"No, Marie is.  You both know very well that you are to avoid all physical contact with Marie.  That rule is not waived for dares or pranks.  You are fortunate, Bobby, that Marie broke away as quickly as she did.  Had she decided to prolong the kiss, you might still be unconscious…or worse."

"Well, since I know better than to kiss Marie, can I get a lighter sentence?" Jubilee asked hopefully.

"No, Jubilee.  You encouraged Bobby to do so…and while he knew better, so did you.  We will discuss your punishment another time.  For now, you are both confined to your rooms, save for classes and meals, until further notice."

Jubilee cornered Bobby the instant they were safely outside Xavier's study.  "Hey.  You're not mad at me, are you?"

Bobby glared at her.  "Maybe."

"Oh, come on.  You tellin' me that kissing Marie wasn't worth a little trouble?"

The glare was replaced by a dopey grin.  "It was pretty nice…"

"So we're cool, right?"

"Always," Bobby agreed, his eyes flashing blue.  "Literally."

"Neat.  Didn't know you could focus it like that."

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Jubes…and even more you don't know about your new friend, Nate.  Where is he, by the way?"

"Around," Jubilee said simply.

"Around where?"

"Here," she added evasively.

"…this was all one of your distractions, wasn't it?" he asked, starting to catch on.

"No idea what you mean," Jubilee replied, quickly walking away.  "Seeya, Iceman!"

* * * * * 

"Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" Illyana read, a big smile on her face.  "When they hear what you did this year?"

"Proud?" asked Nate.  "Are you crazy?  All those times I could've died, and I didn't manage it?  They'll be furious…"

"And together they walked back through the gateway to the Muggle world," they read as one.

Nate closed the book.  "Okay, now you HAVE to go to bed," he insisted.  "Piotr would kill me if he knew I was reading to you at this hour."

"He wouldn't," Illyana replied sleepily, pressing her little face into Nate's shirt.  "He'd be happy I heard a good story…"

"Hey, hey, none of that," Nate said, gently tapping her chin.  "You can't fall asleep on me.  They'd probably expel me for being in a girl's room this late."

"Nate's right, Yana," Jubilee agreed from her bed.  "If he does get caught here, you're the only one that wouldn't be expelled.  No one would believe he was here to read you a story."

Illyana grumbled a bit, but finally rolled off Nate's chest, allowing him to get up.  "So how did it go with Cerebro?  Was I a good lookout?  Did you get everything you needed?"

Nate smiled as he tucked her and Miko in.  "You did great.  I was able to find Wanda, but…I got distracted and didn't have time to contact her."

"Then we have to go back in?" Illyana murmured, closing her eyes.  

"Nope.  I know where to look.  I should be able to reach her somehow.  Thanks for helping."  Nate leaned over and kissed her nose.  "Sweet dreams, Yana."

Illyana made a tiny noise that might have been a giggle, and was fast asleep seconds later, her face buried in Miko's soft, brown belly.

"Do I get a kiss, too?" Jubilee teased.  

"Nope.  You're grounded," Nate replied with a grin.

Jubilee stuck her tongue out at him.  "So you really don't have to go back into Cerebro?"

"Nah.  It might be tricky, but I can find Wanda on my own now."  He sighed.  "I just wish she were here."

"Well, until she does get here, I guess I can be your disposable female friend.  Just be gentle when you throw me away."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Jubes," Nate replied sincerely as he moved to the door.  "I recycle."

"Jerk," she muttered fondly, pulling her blanket over her head.

Nate had just reached the door when he heard a very large thump.  "Jubes…?"

"Wasn't me," came the muffled reply.  "Sounded like it was outside."

Nate crossed the room and looked out the window, his eyes widening as he spotted a cherry red van parked at the front door.  "It can't be," he whispered, shaking his head.  

"What?"

"It…it's Wanda," Nate murmured, his face lighting up.  "She's…here…"

"Already?"  Jubilee's head emerged from the blanket.  "Are you serious?"

But Nate had already vanished.

In the other bed, Illyana smiled in her sleep and clutched Miko a little tighter.


	9. Reunions

Notes: If you knew anything about Yana (or the other two Rasputin siblings) prior to reading this, you probably think you know how the van just appeared like that.  But I might surprise you yet.

I have…manipulated one character's powers a bit, but maybe I can get away with it, since he's a bit mysterious.

Chapter 9: Reunions

Wanda carefully stepped out of the van.  "We can't be where I think we are."

Remy poked his head out of the window.  "Why's dat, chere?"

"We were too far away.  How could we…unless I…?"  She looked at her hands as if they were foreign objects.  "But I didn't even TRY to…"

"Well, we here now," Remy concluded, climbing out.  "And it's safe, non?"

"Um…yeah, sure, but…"

"Den it time for ol' Musty to stretch his legs.  'Sides, he need de fresh air."  Remy walked to the back of the van and threw the doors open.  "Come on out, mon ami.  We got you a BIG yard to play in."

Musty emerged slowly, still in the form of the great white Wendigo.  He paused upon exiting the van, then doubled back to carefully lift out the egg.

"Good tinkin', Musty.  Petite, she need to stretch, too."

"You guys better wait here," Wanda instructed.  "It's late, and we don't want to wake the students."

"Dis a school?" Remy asked, eyeing the mansion doubtfully.  "What dey study?  How to be rich brats?"

"Actually, Remy, they study how to be good little mutants," Wanda replied with a grin.  "Welcome to Xavier's.  Luckily, I know the headmaster, and should be able to get us some rooms…provided you don't steal or blow anything up…and that we can get Musty into a shower right away."

There was a loud sniff behind her.  "Well, at least you smell as good as ever."

Wanda spun around, fully prepared to slap whomever she found.  Her hand, however, was caught.

"You don't even know my voice anymore?" Nate asked, looking hurt.  "You are so deprived."

A slow smile spread across her face.  "Nate," she breathed in relief, throwing her arms around his neck.  "You lunkhead, don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Sorry, but you startled me first," Nate replied, holding her at arm's length.  "What are you DOING here?"

"I hope that's a trick question," Wanda said.  "You…didn't have anything to do with this?"

"Hey, I'm good, but not THAT good.  I've only ever managed one teleport, and it was just me, not a van full of mutants."  He leaned around her.  "Okay, I remember Gambit…whoa, he MUST be new…and is that an egg???"

"Not exactly," Wanda chuckled.  "Listen, maybe we'd better do this inside."

"Just what I was about to suggest," said a stern voice from the front door.

Wanda peeked around Nate and waved half-heartedly.  "Hey, Uncle Chuck."

Nate grinned merrily.  "'Uncle Chuck?'"

Xavier cleared his throat.  "Wanda, my dear.  Words can't express…how good it is to see you…alive."

Wanda frowned.  "Oh, great.  THAT rumor again.  I swear, when I get my hands on that-"

"Please, come in," Xavier interrupted.  "We will, of course, provide you with shelter.  But I am afraid your…friend?…might startle the students…not to mention the teachers."  He nodded toward the Wendigo.

"Who, Musty?" Wanda asked.  "Oh, he's harmless.  Just a big teddy bear.  Like Nate with fur."

"Um, I haven't exactly proven myself harmless," Nate whispered in her ear.

"What, you started a fight?"

"No.  I um…threatened Uncle Chuck."

Wanda grinned.  "Really?  And he let you stay?"

"Yeah, I think I scared him.  Or maybe the cutest little one vouched for me.  I still haven't figured it out yet, but-"

"Ahem," said Xavier, a bit loudly.

"Anyway, Musty wouldn't hurt anyone," Wanda insisted.  "As for scaring people, he has other forms."

There was a small explosion, in which the Wendigo became a rather large pink panda.

"See?  He likes kids.  And he doesn't ALWAYS smell like that."

"And he became 'Musty' how?" Xavier asked.

"Oh.  Well, at first we just called him Animus, but then he started to smell, and…um…"

"He bathes no less than four times a week," Xavier said firmly.  "And on days he doesn't bathe, he stays outside."

"That works out good, really.  He likes to hunt big bugs."

Xavier arched an eyebrow.

"I'm KIDDING!  We catch the bugs for him…"

* * * * *

"You LOST them?" Arkady asked incredulously.

"Lost the trail," Pietro corrected.  "Wanda might've figured out she was being followed, near as I can tell."

"I thought she couldn't teleport."

"She couldn't the last time I checked.  Maybe she's stronger and smarter than my father gave her credit for.  But we will find her.  Cal already has the scent again, and this time they won't be running."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because," Pietro replied, "they think they're safe."

* * * * *

Wanda stared at Nate in mild shock.  "You want to do WHAT to our egg?"

"Crack it open.  I'm telling you, the kid's stuck in there."

"No, she isn't.  She MADE the egg, Nate.  How could she be stuck?"

"The same way anyone could start putting together a puzzle and get stuck.  She's a kid that got scared and hid herself a little too well."

Over in the corner, Piotr watched the argument progress while Illyana poked at the egg curiously.  Most of the students had given up trying to sleep and were still poking their heads into Xavier's study regularly, hoping to catch a glimpse of the strange new arrivals.  Remy had scared off three of them with an exploding button, after which he was stripped of everything but his shirt, pants, and shoes by Logan.

"How can you even know any of this?" Wanda asked.

Nate shrugged.  "Well, I ASKED her, of course."  He tapped his forehead.

Wanda rolled her eyes.  "And she just told you she was stuck?"

"I asked why she was hiding, and she told me she wasn't hiding, she was stuck and needed some help getting out.  Look, mutants come here to learn about her powers.  So we can teach her not to get stuck next time, assuming we do get her out this time."

"So I assume you have some way of getting her out safely?  And if you say Remy…"

"No, it's much easier than that.  Have you met Piotr?"

After a brief introduction (and a gasp from Wanda as Piotr suddenly gained a lot of weight and gleaming, silver skin), they were ready to give Nate's plan a try.  

"He's not going to…break her, is he?" Wanda asked worriedly as Piotr carefully picked up the egg.

Nate shook his head.  "He's going to crack the egg, just like I said.  It's like cooking…for giant cannibals."

Wanda made a face.  "That's the last joke you get to make today, mister."

There was an audible cracking noise as a long, jagged line ran down the egg.

"We should keep her close to the floor," Nate suggested, and they moved to the couch (but only with a promise to clean up the mess immediately).

With a mere shift of his broad shoulders, Piotr cracked the egg.  Something small and mud-covered tumbled out of the egg, bounced off the couch, and darted under the nearest table that offered some cover.

"Well, she's healthy," Nate noted.  "Which is saying a lot if she's been in there as long as you guys say."

Remy peered under the table, trying to coax the new arrival out.  "S'okay, petite.  Remy not gonna let anyone hurt you.  Come on out, we get you somethin' sweet to eat."

There was no response.

"Petite, she a shy one," Remy said, standing.  "Don't like too many people around."  He regrouped with Wanda and Musty to try and figure what would lure their young friend out.

Piotr was the only one that finally noticed Illyana inching closer to the table, and by the time he began to call out for her to stop, she was already crouched down next to it.

"Hi," she said quietly.  "My name's Illyana, but my friends call me Yana.  What's your name?"

There was some movement, but nothing else.

"You must be real brave to hide all alone in the dark like that.  Me, I'd be scared.  That's why I always carry Miko with me.  See?"  She held out her fuzzy black bear.

Shortly, a small, grubby hand crept out from under the table.

Illyana pulled back a bit, but not noticeably so.  "You can hide under my bed whenever you want;  there's plenty of dark space.  I'd bring you candy, too.  Any kind you wanted.  My roommate always has some."

"Can…dy?" asked a hoarse, hopeful voice.

"Yup!  All the candy you want!" Illyana promised.

By now, the others were paying attention, but she took no notice of them.  "Of course I'd let you borrow Miko, too.  So you wouldn't have to hide in the dark all the time."

A pale, mud-streaked face and dirty, short red hair emerged from under the table.

Illyana took a few steps back.  "Miko says to tell you hi."

Finally, a girl only slightly smaller than Illyana crawled into the open, glancing about warily.  She quickly moved to Illyana's side, where she was rewarded with Miko.  Most predictably, she latched onto the soft bear and smiled a tiny smile.

"What are you all standing there for?" Illyana asked, finally acknowledging all the stares.  "Get my new friend some candy!" she ordered.

"I'll…um…wake up Jubilee."  Nate waved to the small girl before hurrying out.

Remy leaned close to the girl.  "Betta wipe ya face before ya eat, petite."

She nodded, brightened upon spotting Musty and walked over to him, only to wipe her face in his fur.  For some reason, Musty didn't seem to mind at all, not even bothering to change forms when she was done.

"So she can stay in my room, right, Professor?" Illyana asked, a pleading look on her face.  "Jubilee won't mind, I just know she won't."

"I'm not sure that would be wise," Xavier said, stroking his chin.  "I would first like to discuss the nature of the girl's powers, in order to ensure everyone's safety."

"But look at her, she's tired," Illyana pleaded.  "I bet she wants to go right to bed."

Remy began to volunteer himself to watch over both girls, but a sharp look from Wanda shut him up.

"I gotta side with Uncle Chuck on this one," Wanda said, but she didn't look happy about it.  "The poor kid had a rough life until she met us.   That egg was a defense mechanism; she's way too instinctive for normal people.  She might have a nightmare and hurt someone without meaning to."

"You're gonna make her sleep alone?" Illyana asked in horror.  "But you can't!"

"I will guard the girl," Piotr said quietly.  "I believe I am…best suited…for any dangers she might pose."

"So she goes from being alone to sleeping with boys?" Wanda asked skeptically.

"Don' look like you get much say in dis, petite," Remy muttered, before realizing that no one was listening.  "Huh?  Where you get to, petite?"

* * * * *

"You woke me up this late so you could raid my candy stash?" Jubilee groaned.  "Nate, you are really testing the strength of our friendship here.  You know that, right?"

Nate didn't look up as he rummaged through her drawer.  "Sorry, Jubes.  Yana said the kid wants candy, and she's so cute, even with all the mud.  I just wanted to do something nice for her."

"Can't you have a big heart during normal business hours?"

"Doesn't work like that.  I can't help but think…she's a lot like me."

"How's that?" Jubilee yawned, finally giving up on getting to sleep.

"When I first touched her mind using Cerebro, I knew what her power was…and how it's been cursing her all her life without her even knowing.  I'm betting she doesn't even know what a mutant is.  All she knows is how to survive.  If I still have to die, I wanna do it knowing I made a kid happy. "

"What, did you just forget about Yana?"

"…okay, TWO kids.  That's gotta count for something later."

Jubilee's eyes widened.  "Nate.  Either we got BIG rats, or you've got a shadow."

There was a slight tug on Nate's leg, and he looked down to see the new girl, minus much of the mud on her face.  "Hey, you clean up pretty good.  And without water, no less."

The girl stared curiously at Jubilee.

"She's so small," Jubilee whispered, moving closer.  "Did they feed her?"

"No, they sent me for food."  He bent down and offered the girl a bag.  "Sorry, kiddo.  Looks like it's just gummy bears tonight."

"Milk," said the girl quietly, refusing to touch the bag.

Nate blinked.  "What, you want milk instead of the bears?"  
  


Jubilee shook her head and laughed.  "Nate, I think she wants the milk WITH the bears.  This is truly a kid after my own heart."

"Okay, fine.  I suppose you want the milk warm?"

The girl nodded.

"We can do that.  Anything else?"

She frowned, as if she'd forgotten something, then nodded seriously.  "Four glasses, please."

Jubilee stopped grinning.  "Okay, she's NOT sleeping in my bed."

"Four…glasses?" Nate repeated slowly, as if he'd heard wrong.

The girl nodded again, looking perfectly serious.

Nate had little choice but to do as she asked, and soon found himself watching the girl down her FIFTH glass of milk.  He was still amazed that she hadn't demanded chocolate or strawberry milk (but she had eaten the gummy bears first).

"Okay, cut me a deal here," he said after she let loose a loud belch.  "I fed you.  I'd say you at least owe me a nickname.  It doesn't even have to be yours."

The girl didn't take long to answer.  "Marrow," she replied with a note of finality.

It was pretty late, so Nate gave up without a fight.  "Works for me.  I'm Nate, and until further notice, I'm probably the ONLY person around here who will ever give you that much milk.  So if you plan to keep this habit up, it might be a good idea for us to get along."

"Can I sleep under your bed?  The big people won't let me stay with Yana."

Nate noticed that as she frowned, three tiny bumps suddenly appeared between her eyebrows.  "You just have to find ways around their rules.  Check this out."  He placed a hand on her head and closed his eyes for a few seconds.

Marrow shivered as a warm feeling rushed through her body.  "What did you do?"

"Telekinetic shield."  At the blank look on her face, he added helpfully, "Like a force field."

"Oh.  How do I turn it on?"

"That's the thing: YOU can't.  Only your brain can."

"Huh?"

"Every time you shoot those bones out, your brain has to send a message to your body, even when you're asleep.  The shield is triggered whenever that particular message goes out.  So it'll either stop the bones completely, or slow them down enough where they can only poke someone gently."

"So I can sleep under Yana's bed now?" Marrow asked.

"Well, we'd better test it first.  You'll have to stay under my…what is it with you and dark places?  I would give up the bed if you wanted it."

"No," she replied.  "I like the dark.  Anyway, beds are bad for my back; they're too soft."

* * * * *

Mutants are often like puzzles: seemingly simple on the outside, much more complex on the inside, but worth the effort once you figure them out.

Such was the case a boy at Xavier's simply known as Ernie.

One could argue that he didn't belong there, since he had no mutant powers to speak of.  But Xavier himself had confirmed that the boy was indeed a mutant, if only in terms of his genetic makeup.  There was still a very good chance that he might discover his hidden gift an day now.

Precious little was known about Ernie, save that he, like Marrow, had somehow survived where nearly all other Morlocks had not.  For that reason, Xavier thought he must have some sort of incredible defensive power, triggered during times of extreme stress, just as in Marrow's case.

Had Xavier taken a bit more time to study Ernie, he might have learned just how defensive the boy's powers could be, or that Ernie had not come out of the Morlock massacre as unscathed as Marrow had.  True, both children would always retain some amount of trauma, but Marrow was lucky in that she hadn't been in the thick of the slaughter.

Ernie had been, and ended up surviving for two reasons only: 1) The murderers had mistaken him for one of their own in the darkness, especially since he ended up killing everyone within his reach, whether they were Morlock or assassin.  2) Afterwards, there had been no traces of a huge, gray behemoth with a taste for blood…but that was because he had taken a more convenient form.

For Ernie was little more than a shell to contain his own true potential.  

The other kids stayed away, as he tended to talk to himself, and anyone else present inside his head.  While few of those voices rarely ever made sense, one of them usually did.  It was silky soft, like a mother's would be, and always gave Ernie the best advice.

Recently, for example, it had been telling him to keep an eye out for an old friend.  Sure enough, it wasn't long before some part of Ernie's mind recognized Marrow.  But she did not remind him of the shy, innocent girl he had known before.  Instead, she reminded him of how hot and sweaty and bloody and utterly fast that night had been.  She reminded him how much…FUN he'd had, and how much he'd like to do it all over again…

The only reason he did nothing yet was because that voice insisted that he wait just a little longer, until the time was right.  Then he could have all the fun he wanted…


	10. Adjustment Problems

Notes: It's important to realize that Nate doesn't get along with girls so easily simply because I want to live through him vicariously.  He is, in fact (apparently, though I wouldn't know), quite handsome, and has always had a talent for drawing women to him, whether he means to or not.  Combined with a general desire to help people, it's no wonder so many women find him attractive…even the underage ones.

Chapter 10: Adjustment Problems

The morning had started off pretty well, all things considered.

At breakfast, Nate had left Marrow with Jubilee & Illyana, figuring she would be happiest with other girls.  Jubilee had shooed him away with promises that yes, Marrow would be perfectly fine, and no, nothing bad would happen.  And since Jubilee had never actually gotten HIM in trouble, Nate saw no reason to doubt her word.

Yet, for some reason, during the middle Dr. Grey's lecture on the finer points of disarming an enemy psi, he felt a tentative poke at the back of his mind, the kind that could only come from a young someone who was in deep doo-doo.

~"Um.  Nate?"~

Trying not to look at all distracted, he replied, ~"What's wrong, Yana?"~

~"Um.  We're in trouble."~

~ "What happened?"~ he asked, trying to sound soothing, as if he were there to pat her hand.

~"See, me and Marrow were trying to figure out this math problem Professor X gave us, and then…" ~

~"Yes?"~

~"Some mean boy at the next table asked what was wrong with her face and made her cry."~

Nate was instantly alarmed.  ~"She didn't…shoot, did she?"~

~"No.  We got in trouble cuz Jubilee slugged him."~

He couldn't help grinning, which, unfortunately, gave Jean the impression that he was fascinated by her lesson.  ~"I see.  But you two didn't really do anything wrong?"~

~"No.  But when Professor X made her leave the room, we went, too.  So now we're all waiting in his office for class to end."~

~"Then be sure to tell Jubilee I'm very proud of her.  How's Marrow?"~

~"She's still kinda mad about it.  I told her she looks fine, but she won't listen to me."~

~"I think I know how to make her feel better.  Tell her I should have a surprise for her after dinner."~

* * * * *

It was common practice for every student at Xavier's, either just before or after their enrollment, to undergo some sort of physical examination.  Nate's exam had been, by far, the easiest in the school's history, since he had been asleep the whole time.  

Sometimes, though she was ashamed of herself for thinking so, Jean wished she could put ALL the students to sleep for the examinations.

Wanda and Remy had been perfectly cooperative, although Remy had given her more than a few stares she could only classify as lewd.

Musty, however, was definitely not a good patient.  The instant he set foot into the infirmary, he transformed into his Wendigo form (according to Wanda, he did that whenever he felt insecure, since very few people wanted to mess with a Wendigo).  Storm had even gone through the trouble of lowering the temperature several degrees to make him comfortable.

Not that it helped.  Musty did not like needles, and let Jean know so whenever he saw her anywhere near one.  In the end, all she was able to collect from him was an x-ray.  But, since the Wendigo was obviously not his true form, even that was mostly pointless.

By the time she was done, Jean had a considerable headache, and the beginnings of a very ill timed cold.

Perhaps the only good news was that Professor Xavier decided Storm and Logan should be Musty's exclusive teachers, since they were the only ones who didn't mind forever having classes outside.

* * * * *

Piotr sometimes skipped lunch in order to concentrate on his latest projects.  In rare cases, he even stumbled upon a subject that he couldn't help but be inspired by.  Just a month ago, he had managed to capture Storm as she flew around the school.  He secretly considered it one of his greatest works, and was slowly working up enough courage to ask her opinion of it.

It was all a matter of finding just the right spot to focus, and Piotr had a gift for hunting them down.  Today, he was perched (very carefully) in an oak tree overlooking the school.  It provided a great view, while giving him enough privacy to work…or so he thought.

Piotr was just about to start sketching when he realized that he wasn't alone.  "You realize this could be considered stalking, my friend?"

"Sorry," Nate apologized, dropping onto a branch near Piotr's.  "But I have a favor to ask.  That is, unless I'm interrupting a really important piece?"

"No."  Piotr nodded toward where Marie and Kitty were having lunch in the gazebo.  "I have already drawn them both."

"Ah, well…do you take requests?"

"Hmm."  Piotr stroked his chin thoughtfully.  "Who is it you would like me to draw?"

"The new girl, Marrow.  But, there's a catch.  I need you to draw her…like you would Illyana."  

"I am not certain what you mean, Nate.  I always draw my sister as I see her."

"Look, Marrow's really sensitive about her…bone growths, I guess is a good phrase.  I just thought that maybe if she could see herself without them, she might feel better."

Piotr frowned.  "Are you absolutely certain that such a picture would not just make her feel worse?"

"No.  But I'm willing to bet that once she sees it, she'll start trying to control her powers.  Maybe one day she can look like that again."

"Why this interest in her, Nate?"

"Well, if there's nothing visible to make fun of, we'd at least be keeping Jubilee out of some trouble.  She's grounded as it is for that Marie incident."

"Very well.  If you can get Marrow to sit still for a few minutes, you will have your picture."

* * * * *

"Don't pick at it," Illyana fussed, lightly swatting Marrow's hand away from her forehead.

Marrow scowled at her.  "Why not?" she challenged.

"Cuz Dr. Grey says that always makes scabs worse."

"It's not scabs," Marrow snapped.  "It's bone."  As if to prove it, she broke a chunk off her elbow and dropped it in Illyana's lap.  "See?  Bone.  Picking won't change anything."

"Know what?" Jubilee said suddenly, staring closely at her.

"What?"  Marrow was decidedly uncomfortable with people who stared, and had to remind herself that she liked Jubilee…so far.

"I've been watching you.  You only grow those bones out when you're pissed."

"Language!" Illyana cried, and then, after a moment's thought, "I think…"

Jubilee rolled her eyes.  "Example.  When Nate gave you all that milk last night, you had maybe three tiny bumps on your nose.  Today, you've practically got antlers.  And you were fine this morning, too."

"So how do I make them go back in?" Marrow asked.

"Well…have you EVER made them go in?"

"…no."

"Then maybe they can only go out?  Same thing goes for my pafs, anyway.  Maybe you just have to break them off once they're out and stay happy."

"But won't that hurt?" Illyana asked, looking worried.

"I can't even feel it," Marrow replied as she began to snap off the rest of her protrusions.  "I've never been able to."

"Just don't leave them lying around," Jubilee warned.  "The last thing we need is the Prof finding that stuff in his office…"

* * * * *

There were very few times when Logan found a woman special enough that she was worthy of his attention.  For some reason, he had discovered two under the same roof.  He had not exactly given up on Jean, but until Scott was out of the picture, it was all but hopeless.

And then there was Storm, who had suddenly taken to wearing more dresses that revealed flashes of her lovely brown legs.  Logan had nearly choked when he'd seen her flying overhead one day, wearing little more than what seemed to be a bathrobe.

The truly attractive thing, though, aside from her obvious beauty, was that Storm was clearly interested in him, to a certain extent.  She always had time to share a breathtaking smile or a friendly word with him, even on the days when he felt like gutting the nearest person.  

Little did he know, there was a rather large problem.  Or there would be soon.

He got his first hint the day he'd "stumbled" upon her having lunch in the gardens.  He'd given up smoking all week for the moment, and was determined it would go well.  For the first few minutes, it actually did.

But suddenly, Logan's hair began to stand on end, and he felt like he was back in the Canadian wilds again.  Storm noticed the change in him, but before she could ask, something huge, white, and furry emerged from the bushes.

It was, of course, only Musty, parading around as the Wendigo again.  Logan thought it nothing short of a crime himself, as he'd met a real Wendigo before, and it acted nothing like Musty.  

The really sad thing was that Storm didn't mind Musty's being there at all.  She even invited him to have some of her lunch (which soon resulted in her having no lunch at all).  Which only added to the things Logan didn't like about Musty, and there were a lot of them.  

To make matters worse, Musty began to follow Storm everywhere when she was outside, which was quite often.  It was getting to the point where Logan could never find her alone for very long.  He began to wonder if maybe Musty was pursuing Storm for the same reason he was.  If their guess was correct, Musty was around Wanda's age, but it was a wild guess at best, and for all they knew, he might even be older than Logan.  He enjoyed a little competition as much as the next man, but this was not what he'd had in mind.

* * * * *

Unfortunately, Marrow was not all that impressed with Piotr's sketch of her.  Whether it was because she didn't like art, or because she now looked exactly like the picture, no one could be sure.  It was only at Illyana's coaxing that she grudgingly agreed to hang onto it.

Piotr didn't seem to mind Marrow's lack of interest in his work.  "I have faced tougher criticism than that," he told Nate.  "Some people simply do not appreciate seeing themselves as others see them."

"But I feel like I wasted your time, asking you to draw that for her."

"I have never considered my work a waste, Nate.  With each sketch, I expand my abilities further.  You need not apologize for this one."

"You don't ever get mad, do you, Piotr?"

"I have found that anger leads to violence and solves precious few things.  After all, I must set an example for Illyana."

"She's a good kid," Nate replied.  "I think she'll do just fine."

Piotr said nothing, but the look on his face said otherwise.

* * * * *

Jubilee knew something was wrong the instant she woke up.  It was too quiet, for one thing.  Usually, she could hear Illyana bustling around the room, getting ready for breakfast.  But there was a strange, lonely silence today.

She sat up quickly, and a few glances around the room proved what she'd feared: Illyana was gone.

Jubilee didn't overreact just then, though.  A check of Illyana's bed proved that she had slept in it.  But the bed itself wasn't made, which was odd.  Illyana always made her bed once she was up.  Either she'd left in a hurry, or someone had taken her.

But she forced that thought from her mind.  Illyana was probably somewhere on the grounds, playing with Marrow.  All she needed to do was grab one of the three psychics.  Naturally, Nate was her first choice.

~"Nate, it's Jubes.  Listen…I can't find Yana anywhere.  Have you seen her?"~

~"No.  You keep looking,  I'll do an in-depth search.  Don't worry, we'll find her."~

But ten minutes later, Jubilee had still found no further clues and was really starting to worry.

~"She's…not on the grounds, Jubes.  More than that, I can't sense her at all.  It's like she's dropped off the face of the Earth."~

~"You don't think she's…I mean…"~

~"No.  No matter where she is, I'd know if that happened.  She's alive, Jubes.  We just have to find out where she's living.  I'll talk to Professor X.  He'll have to use Cerebro for this."~

Jubilee sank onto Illyana's bed and hugged Miko desperately.  "Where are you, Yana?" she whispered, tears streaming down her face.  She pressed her face into Miko's back, unaware that she was closer to answering her question than she knew.

* * * * *

Xavier emerged from Cerebro slowly, only to find himself cornered by Piotr, Nate, Jubilee, Storm, and Marrow.  "I'm sorry.  There's no trace of her.  I…I don't know what else we can do."

"Can't we send out a search party?" Jubilee asked.

"Yes, but…chances are, if she's being shielded from us so thoroughly, a visual search wouldn't be successful, either.  Aside from that, we'd have no idea where to start.  Illyana could very literally be anywhere."

"But she must be somewhere," Nate said.  "We HAVE to find her!"

"How do you propose we do that, Nate?  Even Cerebro has failed."

"If Nate knows a way to find my sister," Piotr chimed in, "I think we should listen to him."

Nate nodded.  "We already know psychic searches won't help.  Maybe Wanda and I can come up with something.  With her powers, the possibilities are endless.  We'll find a way to bring Illyana home…somehow."

* * * * *

The two guards watched the slim, pretty woman walk into the plastic corridor.

"So tell me something," the first said.  "You get locked up for crimes against humanity.  Are you really at all concerned about your garden?"

The second shrugged.  "Dunno.  Was one of the crimes growing giant tomatoes to take over the world?"

"Real funny, Carl.  I'm trying to be serious here."

"Okay, okay.  I guess I wouldn't be worried about some flowers."

"So why do you think this mutie's gardener comes to see him once a month?"

Carl grunted suggestively.  "You really think a man would keep a woman like that around just to kill some weeds?  I bet she's never even seen a garden."

"Probably a masseuse or something."

"We could have her checked out."

"Seriously?  We can do that, Carl?"

"I can.  You're new, but I know some people.  Stick with me, I'll show you who to know, when to pay, and how to get any woman at any time.  It's all about connections, kid."

A few minutes later, the woman emerged.

"Good visit?" Carl asked as they went through the mandatory search again.

"Not really," she replied.  "I had bad news for him."

"Oh?"

"A…friend's adopted daughter…has gone missing."

"It's a crying shame, the things some freaks will do to a kid these days.  Hope they find her fast and unharmed."

"Thank you, Carl," she said with a smile as she left.  "I'm sure he'll appreciate your concern."

* * * * *

Illyana was not afraid when she woke up and discovered she was no longer in her room.  She was more confused than anything else.

There were strangely dressed people standing around, and all of them were staring at her with both fear and excitement in their eyes.  She couldn't shake the feeling that somehow, they would do anything she asked of them, no matter what it was.  She soon figured out why.

Illyana had thought she was sitting on her bed, since it felt so nice and safe and familiar.  It turned out, however, to be something else nice and safe and familiar.  Distantly familiar, but ultimately comforting all the same.  Then she saw the arm holding her, not as large as Piotr's, but clearly just as powerful, if not more.

"You have nothing to fear," said a strong voice just above her head.  It was so like Piotr's, yet different.

Illyana finally looked up, and her eyes widened in disbelief and happiness.  "Miko…?" she whispered.

Mikhail Rasputin smiled down at his little sister, his gray eyes flashing.  "Hello, snowflake.  Welcome to my world…our world…your new home."


	11. Miko the Mighty

Notes: It's not as if a simple web search wouldn't turn up tons of info on anyone you don't know here, and I've invited questions (remember to include e-mail addresses!), so there's no reason you shouldn't understand anything here.  In consideration of those who haven't read the comics, I will try to be more in-depth regarding the history of certain characters, even if it means getting a little long-winded at times.

Chapter 11: Miko the Mighty

Illyana watched in amazed silence as Mikhail entered the fifth hour of his workout regimen.  Just then, it was push-ups, and she had lost count around two hundred or so.  Frankly, she was starting to get a little concerned about him.  Despite the fact that he didn't look at all exhausted, she was tired just from watching him.  If he didn't stop soon, he might pass out or just…explode or something.

"Miko?" she asked softly.  "Aren't you tired yet?"

Mikhail raised his head and smiled, even as he continued the push-ups.  "No.  I do this every day, snowflake.  Staying in shape is very important to me…and my job."

Illyana perked up at once.  She still had no idea what it was that her brother did, though she was beginning to suspect he was a very important person.  Everyone they'd met so far did what he told them, and people backed up when he wasn't happy.  Mikhail wouldn't just tell her, either; he seemed to want her to guess.

"So your job makes you have to be really, really strong?" she asked.

"Something like that, yes," he replied.  "But some of the reason I do this is…personal."

Illyana frowned thoughtfully.  "You're not a fireman, are you?"

He laughed heartily.  "No, little one, I am not.  But I have put out my share of fires in this line of work."

There was a sudden, shrill beeping from where Mikhail had discarded his jacket on the bed.

"Answer that for me, sister?" he asked.

Illyana nodded, glad to be of help, and scrambled over to the jacket.  She soon fished out Mikhail's cell phone.  "Hello?"  She listened for a moment, blinked a few times, and looked at her brother.  "It's some lady.  She says her name's Deathbird?"

"Ah.  I'll take it here, then," Mikhail said with something of a smile.  He sat back against the bed and wiped his face with a towel.  

Still puzzled, Illyana walked over to him and held the phone up to his face.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Lady?" he asked.

"There's…a problem in Sector 6, Mikhail.  Your presence is required."

Mikhail frowned slightly.  "I'm on my way down."

"Good.  I'm very interested in meeting your new secretary as well."

Before Mikhail could open his mouth, there was a very obvious click.

Illyana looked up at her brother.  "You're in trouble…"

He sighed.  "It seems I am.  I think she's jealous of you."

"Me?  What did I do?"

"Nothing, of course.  It's what I did.  She must think I'm cheating on her."

"She's your girlfriend?!"

"And what's wrong with that?"

"She didn't SOUND nice," Illyana said skeptically.

"She has a stressful job.  Trust me, she's much nicer in private.  Now, we shouldn't keep her waiting."

"So Sector 6 is really important?" Illyana asked, handing him his jacket.

"Extremely.  It's the most important one, in fact.  It's where all the power in the city comes from."

"What city is this, anyway?" Illyana asked suddenly.

Mikhail paused.  "Hmm.  Most locals know it as 'The Hill' these days.  I suppose that's its name."

She gave him a funny look.  "How can you live in a city and not know what it's called?"

Mikhail smiled.  "How, indeed."

* * * * *

Jubilee poked her head into the room, only to find Nate & Wanda hovering five feet off the ground.  "Any luck?"

"Not really," Nate replied, frowning.  "Every time we get a trace, it fades away again.  Whoever took Yana is a real pro at hiding things.  Even with Wanda boosting my powers, I can't get a lock."

"I still say someone should check Magneto," Wanda said firmly.  "Even if he didn't take her, I bet he knows someone who would."

"Wouldn't be the first time he snatched a girl," Jubilee agreed.  "But from inside his cell?  That'd be too good, even for him."

"Never put anything past that man, Jubilee.  You'll be proved wrong every time."

Jubilee shrugged as she stepped into the room, clutching Illyana's bear in her arms.  "I guess we can't rule anyone out just yet…"

"I've got it!" Nate cried suddenly.  "The trace is back!"

"Huh?  Really?!"

"YES!  It's right…!"  Nate glanced around rapidly, before his gaze finally fell on Jubilee.  "THE BEAR!!!"

"…um…you sure you didn't bump your head on the ceiling, Nate?" Jubilee asked.

Nate flew at her and grabbed the bear.  "NO!  It's Miko!  He's the trace I kept getting!"

"Dude.  That so does NOT help us find her.  He's HERE with us!"

An odd look passed over his face.  "And, in a way, so is Illyana."

Jubilee stared at him.  "…you DID hit your head, didn't you?!"

"NO!  Look, have you ever heard of dimensional portals?"

"Now you're going sci-fi on me.  I STILL say you bumped-"

"You mean Illyana's in another dimension?" Wanda asked.

Nate nodded.  "It's why we can't find her on our plane, because she's not there.  Someone took her to another dimension, and they used Miko to do it.  That's why all my searches lead back to him."

Jubilee sighed and shook her head.  "Nate, Miko is a STUFFED BEAR."

"He's also the key to a dimensional doorway."

"Prove it.  Take us to where Yana is right now."

Nate stared dumbly at Miko for a long moment, before finally pressing the bear's nose to Jubilee's experimentally.

"…that was my second guess on how to activate him, actually," Wanda admitted.

"I see the head-bumping wasn't limited to the male population," Jubilee snapped.

* * * * * 

The long car ride to Sector 6 gave Illyana a lot of time to think.

In all honesty, she could not recall having met her oldest brother before.  By the time she was old enough to remember her home back in Russia, he had already been gone.  She knew him only from photo albums and what Piotr and their parents had told her.  They had always told her he was away on a very important trip.  At some point, she had unfortunately figured out that the trip had ended in his death.  Their family had always been a close-knit group, and death was usually the only thing that kept them apart.

For some reason, though, Mikhail clearly wasn't dead in this place.  She kept glancing at him every few seconds to make sure she wasn't dreaming up that much.  Perhaps the people at the space program had simply lost track of Mikhail and assumed him dead.  She imagined it was very difficult to go looking for someone in space.  But if he had been here the whole time, why didn't he tell anyone?  Why would he let them think he was dead?

Why wouldn't he have come home?

The more she thought about that, the more she wondered if she would ever get home.  Piotr would be worried.  Not to mention Nate, Jubilee, Ms. Munroe, Marrow, and Professor X.  They'd all be looking for her, but they'd never know where to start.  She was pretty sure telling them to look for "The Hill" would be pointless, and she had no idea where it might be located.  At the same time, she didn't want to ask Mikhail about that, either.  Somehow, she got the feeling that he wouldn't want her to leave.

But then, it wasn't just him.  Part of Illyana didn't want to leave him behind, either.  She would probably never get another chance to get to know her brother, and she wanted to spend as much time with him as possible before she had to go.

Had she known Mikhail's plans for her at that moment, leaving definitely would've been the least of her concerns.

When the car finally came to a stop, Illyana hopped out at once, glad to be free of her boring prison.

They had stopped in front of a white building that seemed to stretch out forever in a straight line.

Before Mikhail could stop her, Illyana walked up to the front door.

Instantly, a man in a brown uniform stepped out.  Spotting Mikhail, he began to say something…and then his gaze landed on Illyana.

She could almost hear his heart stopping, just before he sank to his knees and lowered his head to the ground.  "My queen," he began to chant over and over again in a reverent voice.

Mikhail scowled as he caught up with her.  "Get up, soldier.  No one ordered you to bow."

"I am not worthy to look upon my queen," he murmured.

With a snarl, Mikhail yanked the soldier up.  "I said get up!" he snapped, cocking his other arm.

"Miko, no!" Illyana cried, grabbing his leg.  "Please don't hit him!  He was…just being polite!"

Mikhail dropped his fist and released the soldier somewhat reluctantly.  "You just remember who gives the orders around here, soldier," he growled as they passed by.

Once inside, Illyana turned to look up at him.  "You were really going to hurt him!  Why, Miko?"

"There are things you do not understand about this place, snowflake," Mikhail said gently.  "The power structure…is very delicate.  One must be careful how they address their superiors."

"…so you're the big boss?" Illyana asked after a moment.

"That's…one way of looking at it, yes.  We can discuss it later.  Right now, we need to move.  Deathbird can be quite unpleasant when she's made to wait."

"Is she bigger than you?"

Mikhail chuckled.  "No.  But she is dangerous in her own ways."

* * * * *

Remy was far more crafty than most people gave him credit for.  

For instance, to the average observer, at the moment, he was merely loafing around…albeit on a very high tree branch.

That could not have been further from the truth.

Remy was actually acting as guardian and spy to Marrow and Marie, respectively.  Neither of them even knew about it, or that he was even watching them at all.  That was precisely the way that Remy liked it.  People showed their true colors when they didn't know they were being watched.

It was not that he didn't trust them, though.  Remy would've given his life twice for Marrow in a heartbeat. As for Marie…she had an honest face.  Or at least a fairly pretty one, and that was good enough for now.

No, Remy (he would've preferred Gambit when he was working) was more interested in the small, sandy-haired boy across the yard that was trying to pretend he wasn't watching the girls.  He had been doing that a lot lately, so of course Remy had spotted him right away.  Remy decided right away that he didn't like something about the kid.  He'd even gone through the trouble of asking others, but they all pretty much said the same thing.

"Him?  Oh, that's just Ernie," Jubilee had said.  "A little weird, but harmless."

"Don't really know him that well," Nate had said.  "He seems okay, though."

"He plays with Yana and me sometimes," Marrow had said.  "He doesn't talk much.  I think he's just shy."

No one seemed to know what Ernie's mutant ability was, only that he definitely had one, according to Xavier.  Remy knew better than to doubt the word of anyone that Wanda trusted completely.  

But that did not make Ernie okay in Remy's book.  In fact, it made him even more suspicious.  Especially since he always seemed to be watching Marrow from afar.

At first, Remy had tried to pass it off as a schoolboy crush.  If Ernie really was shy like Marrow thought, it was certainly possible.  But Ernie did not shy away when Marrow invited him to play, and he did not blush when their fingers accidentally touched.  He behaved, in Remy's opinion, like a living rock.  Nothing ever phased him…at all.  There were even times when Ernie didn't blink, either because he'd forgotten to, or he simply didn't need to.  Neither was very reassuring, because Remy had seen that trait in certain people before.

They were either crazy or killers or both, and all of them were extremely dangerous in the end.

That was why Remy had made it his mission to become Marrow's shadow.  He would rather it be him than Ernie, after all.

When Marrow finally noticed Ernie lurking by the bushes, she called his name and waved him over.

Ernie began to approach…and stopped short when Remy suddenly appeared, landing behind Marrow without a sound.  He stared at the older boy for a long moment, and then simply walked away.

Remy watched him like a hawk, his crimson eyes flashing like burning coals.  It was Marie's voice that snapped him out of it.

"Oh, Remy!  Don't scare me like that!  Where'd you come from, anyhow?"

He blinked and aimed a wink at her.  "Wherever you want me come from, chere."

Marie didn't say anything, but he was pleased to see her blush before looking away.

"Remy, you scared Ernie away!" Marrow scolded.  "I told you he was shy!"

Remy shrugged.  "Sorry, petite," he murmured, folding his legs neatly under him as he sat and dropped an arm around her small shoulders.  "He just have to learn to play wit Remy, too, non?"

"You're too overprotective of me," Marrow replied, but she didn't pull away from him.  "Ernie's just a boy.  He's not gonna do anything."

Remy and Marie both shared a knowing smile, but for completely different reasons.

"Anyway, if he did, I'd give him a fat lip," Marrow said confidently.

Marie just barely stifled a giggle behind her hand.

"Dat's my petite," Remy said proudly, squeezing her shoulders.  "Chase all de boys away by herself."

"I bet you taught her that, huh?" Marie asked.

"Hey, petite gotta know how to defend herself!" Remy declared at once.  He grinned wolfishly at Marie.  "I teach you, too, if you want, chere."

Marie's cheeks colored slightly.  "Thanks, but no."  She smiled.  "Logan's been teaching me that."

Remy's smile faded at once.  "Oh."

* * * * *

"Please excuse the intrusion, My Lady."

Deathbird turned and scowled at the worker.  "What is it?"

He lowered his eyes respectfully.  "I have received word that Lord Mikhail just passed the gates.  You asked to be notified-"

"Yes, yes."  She waved him away and turned back to the monitor.  "Two generators left," she muttered angrily.  "And I bet I know exactly who will have to replace it, too…"

The main doors slid open moments later, and by the way all noise in the lab ended abruptly, Deathbird knew that Mikhail had finally arrived.  She, however, did her best not to acknowledge him until he was at her side.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting, Lady," he apologized.

She did not face him.  "We lost the third generator early this morning, Mikhail."  She could almost sense him frowning.

"So soon?" he asked, and at that she did turn to face him.  "I had hoped it would last much longer."

"You're not surprised then?"

"No.  I knew it was unstable when I found it," Mikhail said.  "I believed we could salvage it…but it appears I was mistaken."  He shook his head slightly.  "Do we have any backups?"

"Only one that could even hope to keep up with the other two primaries," Deathbird replied with a hint of malice.

He placed a hand on her shoulder.  "It will last, Lady.  At least until I can track down another."

"You're certain that wouldn't be too draining on you?" she asked skeptically.

Mikhail seemed amused.  "Are you offering to go in my place?"

Deathbird frowned at him.  "You know very well what I'm asking, damn you," she said softly.

"Language, Lady," he chided gently, squeezing her shoulder.  "My sister is present."

Her gaze traveled down to the blond girl at Mikhail's feet.  "She looks nothing like you."

"I should hope not.  I don't think I'd make a very attractive girl."  Mikhail placed a hand on Illyana's head.  "Snowflake, I'll need to go away for a while.  Would you mind terribly if I left you in Deathbird's care?"

Illyana studied Deathbird for a few seconds before pulling her brother back a few feet.  "Can she cook?" she asked in a loud whisper.

Mikhail laughed nervously.  "Sister, you know we have attendants for that…"

"But can SHE cook?" Illyana asked again.  "If you're going to marry her someday, she has to know how to cook your favorite meals, right?"

"I can prepare meals just fine," Deathbird snapped from where she stood.  "More importantly, my Shi'ar heritage allows me certain other advantages.  In short, I CAN hear you."

Illyana blushed and hid behind Mikhail's leg.

Mikhail sighed.  "Snowflake, I assure you that Deathbird will care for you as if you were her own child."

"You mean as if I were HER sister, don't you?" Illyana asked.

He did not frown so much as he merely didn't smile.  "No, I most certainly do not."

* * * * *

Lilandra was jolted awake by the sudden rise in temperature.  She had learned very quickly that it was always hot in the cell, but that it sometimes went from bearably warm to unbearably burning for brief periods.  She had not quite gotten use to those, but she had a horrible feeling that she might.

The last thing she could remember was being beaten by Deathbird.  That in itself was nothing new, save that this time, the beating had occurred for no other reason than to knock her out.  Lilandra was not certain if she should be thankful for that, especially considering where she was now.  She almost would've preferred for her sister to just beat her to death.  At least that would've been quick.  

And then she wouldn't have to deal with those eyes.

The two children clearly did not trust her.  She imagined they were familiar Deathbird, and Lilandra knew that she and her sister looked far too much alike as it was.  Even the fact that she was now imprisoned alongside them did not change their view of her.  To them, she might as well have been Deathbird.

But it was the boy she feared most.  With the girl, Lilandra could only see exhaustion and pain.  

She could not read the boy, and that was reason enough to fear him.  When she looked into his cold gaze, however, she saw something much more frightening.  She saw determination, pride, and hope.  All three would most likely get them killed, but she could hardly tell him to change the way he was…though, she imagined he COULD, if he really wanted to.

Even now, he was propped up against the opposite wall, watching her warily with his pale blue eye.  The other was long gone, clawed out when he'd put up a fight against Deathbird.  The scar of his loss was hidden behind the unkempt blond hair that fell over his face…most of the time.

"You'll want to wake her," Lilandra said, motioning to the sleeping girl.  "The pulses will start soon."

He did not bother to check if she was lying, having long since learned the schedule for the pulses.  Instead, he rolled to the right and shook the girl gently.  "Ray," he whispered hoarsely.  "Time to get up."

She muttered something and covered her fiery red hair with her hands.  "Go 'way."

He moved after her, shaking her again.  "C'mon, Ray.  You know it's worse when you're not awake.  Please get up."

She whined a little more, but finally sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "I'm up."

The boy reached forward and drew her hands away from her face, revealing her dull green eyes.  "You know you need to focus to get through the pulses."

The girl pulled away, her eyes flashing dangerously.  "I can do it by myself," she insisted.

He frowned at her.  "He didn't want any help, either.  You saw what happened to him."

She bit her lip.  "I-I'm stronger than he was."

"Even if you are, we can't risk it.  I won't let you risk it."  He reached for her.  "Take my hands, Ray."

"No.  I said I can do it."

He frowned again.  "I'm not asking anymore, Ray.  Take my hands."

The girl shook her head.  "You can't make me."

"You know I can.  We both do."  His voice did not change at all while he spoke, but Lilandra could tell that the boy who started the statement was not quite the same one who finished it.  That was even before she felt the surge of power flatten her against the wall like she didn't weigh a thing.

The girl began to cry as her hands slowly lifted themselves and reached for his.  "N-no!  Stop it, Frankie!  It hurts!" she wailed, shaking her head desperately.  "It hurts when you do that!"

"I'm sorry, Ray," he whispered, lacing his fingers through hers.  "You know it would only hurt worse if I didn't.  Now look at me."

She shut her eyes tightly, trying to block his power and failing miserably.  "I don't want to!"

"I know you don't.  I don't want you to, either.  But you have to be reminded of what can happen to you."

Her sobs trailed off as her eyes were slowly forced open, but tears continued to roll down her face as she stared at him.

"You know I'm only doing this because I care about you, Ray.  I won't lose you the way we lost him."  The boy leaned forward until his forehead rested against hers.  "Are you ready?"

She whimpered and shook her head slightly, as she always did.

He ignored that and began to boost both their talents to unfathomable levels, as he always did.

Lilandra had watched the event at least three times a day, sometimes more.  Yet, each show was more spectacular than the previous one.  The idea that mere children could possess what these two did…well, it would've been akin to blasphemy on her planet.  But she was no longer blinded by those silly superstitions.  Now, she knew without doubt that they were her only hope of ever regaining her freedom.

The phantom wind rose up without warning, swirling faster and faster around the two children like a localized tornado.  Then the girl began to scream in that bloodcurdling voice of hers.

Lilandra had once thought the boy was actually hurting her, but now she knew better.  While whatever he did to her was clearly uncomfortable, it was ultimately painless, compared to the pulses themselves.

The girl's screams were merely a result of her terror.  For the when the winds of their power rose, they always lifted the boy's hair away from his face, revealing the hideous scars his encounter with Deathbird had left him with, and would leave him with, for the rest of his life.  It was one thing to see those scars from far away.  But to have them right in your face, the way the girl did, urged one to new levels of horror.  And since she could not break away or even close her eyes, she merely screamed until her voice gave out.

It was cruel and unusual, yes, but the boy was right.  It always reminded the girl of what could happen to her, and in the end, it would make her stronger.

Lilandra did her best to block out the screams and prepare herself.  "It's coming!" she shouted over the girl and the roar of the winds.

The boy said nothing, but he grimaced and braced himself.

The shockwave from the first pulse rolled over them in a matter of seconds, but it was the aftershocks that lasted for hours.  The waves were designed to completely expose their minds, and the aftershocks were to slowly drain them of their telepathic power.

Lilandra understood that she herself was just a backup.  These two were the real generators, and they had been since the start, if her hunch was right.  She also knew that she was here because they'd lost one of their own recently.  The girl refused to name him, but in one of the rare moments when the boy wasn't guarding her, Lilandra had gleamed a name that she would never grasp the significance of.

All she knew was that Deathbird had brought her in to replace the child known as Proteus, and if this was what had killed him, she could not be far from the same fate herself.

Endnotes: Confused yet?  There's a reason I haven't gotten in-depth with Deathbird, Lilandra, Frankie, Proteus, and Ray, but I will soon.  All you need to know is that Deathbird is a rotten sister (obviously).

Some things to keep in mind:

1. There are no original characters here, and that includes "Ernie."  I may have altered some people beyond recognition, but they're all based on characters from X-Men comics (and between crossovers and the like, everyone's been in an X-Men comic).  If you really have NO clue where someone came from or how they know the X-Men, just ask.  Don't be shy, I won't bite.

2. Realize that when I say "X-Men comics," I don't just mean comics with X-Men in the title.  I mean virtually every comic that's ever featured an X-Man.  Don't worry, I haven't read them all.  I am (or was) a huge fan of Generation X, that and X-Man are my chief inspirations.  

3. It probably wouldn't hurt if you were overly familiar with Illyana's family…though it might spoil parts of the story for you.  The same could be said for Nate's "family" as well.


	12. Illyana's Gift

Notes: Since it may be a little difficult to find info on him, "Ernie" first appeared in Generation X #5 (with Marrow, but under another name) as a member of Gene Nation.  If you don't know who they are, brush up on your Morlock history.

Chapter 12: Illyana's Gift

Illyana wasn't sure why, but she was actually starting to like Deathbird.

Mikhail had only been gone for a couple of hours, but the Shi'ar woman had already proven herself to be a good cook and a master chess player.  Illyana didn't even mind losing every game, so long as Deathbird kept playing with her.

She was more than a little surprised when Deathbird suddenly glanced at the clock and announced, "This will be the last game.  Then you'll go to bed."

Illyana pouted.  "But even Professor X never made me go to bed this early!"

Deathbird arched an eyebrow.  "Then he cannot be much of a teacher.  If you don't get enough rest, you won't be alert.  If you are not alert…bad things can happen."

"But wouldn't you protect me from any bad things?" Illyana asked.

The woman smiled slightly.  "Of course, child.  But there are things that even I, with all my power, cannot turn back.  So you must help me keep you safe as best you can."

"I guess I never thought of it that way."

"You would not.  You are not Shi'ar like I am, and I seriously doubt Mikhail would make you do anything you didn't want to."

"He's trying to be extra nice to me."  Illyana lowered her head.  "Since we never spent any time together."

"I would rather see you disappointed than dead, child."  Deathbird glanced at the game again, and moved her queen into position almost absently.  "Checkmate."

"How do you DO that?" the girl asked in awe.

"Strategy and power," Deathbird replied simply.  "Come.  I will show you where you'll be sleeping."

* * * * *  

Marrow gasped as she awoke from the nightmare, the screams still ringing in her ears.  She forced herself to calm down, and was only slightly dismayed to find three large bones spikes protruding from her arm.  They had not ejected from her, thanks largely to Nate's telekinetic shield.  While it clearly couldn't stop the bones from emerging, it did keep them from flying out and hurting anyone.

~"Everything okay down there, Marrow?"~

She jumped a little, still not completely used to hearing Nate's voice in her head.  ~"Yeah.  Nightmare."~

~"Feel like talking about it?"~

~"No.  Just need something to drink.  Don't get up."~  Marrow crawled out of her sleeping bag and silently crept past Piotr's bed, determined not to wake at least one of her roommates.

She was halfway to the kitchen when she felt…something.  It was nothing like Nate's presence in her head, but at the same time, it was just as comforting.  It was a smell, she realized at once.  Something that smelled like safety, like family, like…home.  And while Marrow was certain she could not recall the smell at all, something in her head insisted that she knew it well.

She made a detour and ended up at the rec room.  There was a dim, flickering light that spilled out from under the closed door, and the smell was stronger than ever now.

Marrow eased the door open and walked in.  She could make out a small, trembling figure over by the window.  On the sill, there was a thick, violet candle, the flame dancing slightly as the breeze from the door caught it.

At that, the figure stopped trembling and bolted upright.  Even in the dim light, she knew the face, streaked with tears as it was.

"Ernie?" Marrow asked softly, confusion in her voice.  "What are you doing down here so late?"

He looked away and wiped quickly at his face.  "I-I can't s-sleep a lot.  I-I come down h-here to t-think."

Marrow hesitated in the doorway for a moment, before making up her mind and closing the door behind her.  Ernie seemed to relax slightly as she sat down beside him, her eyes on the candle.  "That looks like one of Ms. Munroe's."

He nodded.  "I-I like it.  She l-lets me b-borrow them."

There was silence for a few moments as they both watched the tiny flame bob and shift slightly.

"Do you…ever think about…that night?" Marrow asked suddenly.

"You m-mean…"  Ernie trailed off, his eyes widening a bit.  "I-I try not to."

"I know.  But, sometimes…it's like I don't want to remember…but I have to.  Is it like that for you?"

"I-I remember things…b-before then.  Like Callisto…a-and stealing f-food…a-and y-you…"

She blinked in surprise.  "You knew me?  Really?"

He nodded gravely.  "You d-didn't have as m-much hair…a-and you c-couldn't control your b-bones as good.  I remember Callisto t-took you away.  She s-said you w-were going to a b-better place."

"It was better…for a little while."  Marrow frowned.  "But I messed it up by accident.  I had to leave."

"You c-came b-back.  But t-then that n-night…"

"Remy found me," she supplied.  "Well, someone picked my egg up.  I guess it was him.  I knew he'd help me, cuz I remembered he used to help Callisto steal food for all of us."

"I-I don't t-think he likes m-me very much," Ernie muttered.

"He'll get used to you."

"How d-do you know?"

"Because I like you," Marrow said firmly, reaching down to squeeze his hand.  "You're nice to me, and you're the only one here that understands what it's like to be a Morlock."

Ernie said nothing for a long moment.  Then he glanced at the clock on the wall.  "You s-should go back.  Someone will c-come looking f-for you."

"So let them come."  Marrow curled up beside him and laid her head against his leg.

He watched her until he was sure she was asleep.  Then he slowly and carefully stroked her red hair, once and only once, before training his gaze on the candle.

In a corner of the room, a pair of crimson eyes flared slightly before vanishing back into the darkness.

* * * * *

~"Hello, Illyana."~

For a moment, Illyana almost thought she was still awake.  That was, after all, when most people said hello.

~"No, you're still asleep…in a manner of speaking.  And this is a dream…somewhat.  Rather, it's your dream, and I've inserted myself into it."~

~"Who are you?  Where are you?"~

~"It'd be easier to show you.  Just a minute."~

It was as if someone had flipped on a light switch inside her head.  Illyana had had some vivid dreams in the past, but this one was so sharp, so clear, that something told her it would be a long time before she could ever forget it.

She was back in the place that Mikhail had taken her earlier that day…Sector 6.  Except there was only one person there this time, and he looked a lot less threatening than Deathbird first had.

He was a boy, probably only a year or two older than Illyana.  He had blond hair and piercing blue eyes, the kind that could look right through a person if they needed to.  All the same, she found it impossible to feel wary.  Everything about him seemed to exude calmness and sincerity, and she felt she could trust him immediately.

~"My name,"~ he said (rather, thought directly into her head, as his mouth never moved), ~"is Franklin Richards.  As you already guessed, I'm currently in Sector 6.  Though, I'm not exactly on the tour you saw."~

~"How did you know my name?"~ Illyana asked.  ~"Did Mikhail bring you here, too?"~

~"You're familiar with mutants.  I am one.  One of my powers is telepathy, so that's how I got your name.  And yes, your brother did bring me here."~  He started to say something else, and then thought better of it.

She was not at all alarmed by the revelation, and instantly filed Franklin's face away with people like Nate, Dr. Grey, and Professor X in the back of her mind.  ~"So why did you…um…'bring' me here?"~

~"There are things you must know, Illyana.  Things no one else could or would tell you.  I've brought you here to show you the truth."~

Illyana bit her lip.  ~"You…you're going to tell me Miko's really dead, aren't you?"~

Franklin's expression softened ever so slightly.  ~"No.  In fact, he is very much alive.  And that is, unfortunately, a big part of the problem."~

~"What…problem?"~

Franklin turned away and gestured towards a large, imposing machine giving off a steady hum behind him.  ~"You remember this?  It does, as Mikhail told you, house the three primary power generators of The Hill.  Now, allow me to show you what he did not tell you."~

The air around the machine shimmered, and the front wall melted away.

Illyana gasped and covered her mouth with her hands.  ~"But…there's…PEOPLE in there!"~

~ "Yes.  Myself; my friend, Ray; and Deathbird's younger sister, Lilandra.  For now, we are the primary generators.  Lilandra is merely replacing the last one that failed, but Ray and I have been here for years."~

~"Failed?  What do you mean…failed?"~

Franklin closed his eyes.  ~"To the citizens of The Hill, we are only batteries.  When a battery dies, you replace it.  The latest was a boy who called himself Proteus.  I was not fond of him…but he did not deserve what they did to him.  None of us do."~

~"I-I don't understand,"~ Illyana said softly.  ~"Why would Miko let this happen?  Why would he bring you here…?"~

~"Despite his position of leadership here, I cannot blame your brother for my suffering.  I do not believe he is aware of all this."~

~"You mean…he doesn't know?"~ she asked hopefully.

~"Not exactly."~  Franklin hesitated for a moment.  ~"Illyana, your brother is insane.  He has no idea that what he's doing is wrong or even harmful to us.  When he looks at us, he only sees power sources.  He doesn't realize that we're living, breathing people like him."~  Illyana said nothing, so he went on.  ~"The Hill itself somehow exists outside the world you came from, yet alongside it.  But it is not a normal world.  The Hill…is alive.  How, I'm not sure.  I don't even know if it was like that before I was brought here.  But it is a world of illusions layered upon illusions, and to maintain them all, it requires incredible amounts of psychic energy.   Mikhail tracks down mutants with psychic powers and brings them here.  The Hill taps into our power and drains as much as it needs at any given time to keep its masks on."~

Illyana simply stared at him.

~"I know it's a lot to take in, and it's asking even more for you to just take my word on all this.  You're probably thinking this is just a crazy dream.  But I can prove to you that this is all very real, and that what I'm telling you is all true."~

~"How?"~ Illyana asked after a few seconds.

Franklin closed his eyes again.  ~"In ten minutes, Deathbird is going to come and check on you.  Five minutes after she's gone, you'll hear my voice…and this time, you'll be awake when you do.  Then I'll give you all the evidence you need. "~

~"How…how do I know you're not messing with my head?"~ she asked.

~"I suppose you don't.  Search your heart, Illyana.  Only you can decide whether you trust me or not.  Even if you don't, you know something in this world isn't right.  You shouldn't be here.  But since you are, maybe you can help us set things right."~  Franklin opened his eyes and stared at her.  ~"If you do help us, I promise I will personally do everything I can to get you home safely."~

~ "But…why me?  If you know Miko is my brother, what makes you think you can trust me?"~

He smiled warmly.  ~"Because as much as you love Mikhail, there is another brother you love even more.  We both know that he is the one you belong with.  If Mikhail was truly in his right mind, do you really think he would keep Piotr from seeing you?"~

* * * * *

Professor X frowned as he held Illyana's fuzzy black bear at arm's length.  "I certainly sense the strong link you spoke of, Nate.  But I see no way to re-activate this 'doorway' that Illyana was taken through."  He handed the bear back to Piotr.  "Son, are you sure there's nothing more you can tell us about the bear?  Anything at all that might be significant?  Something only family would know, perhaps?"

Piotr shook his head.  "Only the obvious, and I've already told you that.  Illyana always called it Miko, after our eldest brother, Mikhail.  She could never get his name right when she was younger.  Sometimes, she would pretend the bear actually was him.  I thought it wasn't healthy at first, but she grew so attached to it so quickly, and I couldn't see any good reason to take it from her.  I did think it strange that our father had managed to get a black bear, as they weren't really all that common where we lived.  Perhaps even he was reminded of Mikhail when he found it."

"Petey?" Jubilee asked suddenly.  "Illyana's never…tried to go off and find Miko on her own, has she?"

"No, of course not," Piotr replied.  "My parents never actually told her that he was dead.  But one day she asked me to take her to where he was buried."

"Did you?"

"No.  Mikhail died in an explosion, in space.  There were honorary graves…but I never visited them.  I didn't feel Mikhail's soul was really there.  His body certainly wasn't.  I explained that to Illyana, and she seemed to agree with me."

"Maybe she just agreed that his soul wasn't there, because she thought it was somewhere else, like in her bear," Nate suggested.

"I…suppose it is possible she thought that," Piotr said slowly.  "But how does that explain her disappearance?"

"I have a crazy theory.  And I know it's crazy, I just said so.  But I'm living proof that it's possible, so everybody hear me out."

"We're listening, Nate," Professor X said.

"This link we've all picked up proves that Illyana not only felt especially close to Mikhail's soul, but proves that she was.  So I'm thinking maybe some Mikhail from an alternate universe picked up on it and pulled her into his world, and used her connection to the bear to do it."

"I cannot believe that my brother—any version of him—would kidnap Illyana," Piotr said firmly.  "He would not just take her away from her—OUR family with no warning, or explanation, or…"

"I hate to say it, Piotr, but people change," Nate pointed out.  "Especially in alternate universes…"

* * * * *

True to his word, Franklin called out to Illyana after Deathbird had left.

~"Are you willing to trust me, Illyana?"~

~"Yes.  For now."~

~"I can work with that.  The first thing we need to do is bring you here."~

~"You want me to sneak out?!  Deathbird could hear me a mile away!"~

~"She won't hear you.  Open your mind to me, Illyana.  You possess a talent that you are not even aware of.  But you will be very soon.  We just need to draw it out into the open."~

A strange warmth rushed through her body, and for an intensely humiliating moment, she was certain she'd wet the bed.  But then she seemed to be hurtling through the air, and the next thing she knew, she was standing before the machine in Sector 6 again.  Only this was no dream, she actually WAS in Sector 6 now.

"How…what did you…?"

Franklin appeared before her.  At least, it looked like him.  Somehow, though, she sensed it wasn't.  Not really.

~"This is an astral projection of me, Illyana.  I can't turn the machine off from inside, but he can show you what to do."~

Minutes later, the machine let out a loud hiss as it slowed down and then stopped.  The front panel slid away, similar to the way it had in her dream, but different all the same.

"Franklin?  Are you okay in there?" Illyana asked as steam poured out of the open panel.

Franklin's head eventually emerged.  He was, of course, nothing like it had been in the dream.  There, he'd been composed and neat, seemingly perfect.  Now, he was scruffy and soaked in sweat.  But it was definitely him.

"Thank you, Illyana," he sighed as he carefully stepped out and leaned against the machine.

A woman who had to be Lilandra, as she looked too much like Deathbird to be anyone else, followed him.  She held a sleeping girl carefully in her arms as she stepped out.  "I do not think she'll be waking up soon."

"That's probably for the best.  She needs to recover her strength."  Franklin took a step forward and nearly collapsed, but Illyana caught him just in time.

"I think you do, too," she advised.

"There's no time for that," he insisted, leaning on her shoulder.  "We have to free the other psychics.  It's the only way The Hill will ever weaken enough for us to escape."

"I will stay here and look after the girl," Lilandra said.

"Do either of you know where the keys are?  Or maybe a map so we don't get lost?" Illyana asked.

Franklin smiled.  "We don't need either.  Between you and I, we have everything we need to free the others.  Haven't you wondered how I managed to bring you here, Illyana?"

"Yes…but I thought that was one of your powers?"

"No.  That was your power.  I merely turned it on for you.  You've had it inside you the whole time."

"Then…I'm a mutant, too?" Illyana asked, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Yes.  From now on, you should be able to take us wherever we need to go.  You only need to have a clear image of the place in your mind beforehand.  I can help with that."  He placed a hand on her forehead.

Illyana gasped as an image of a cell with a large iron door sprang into her mind's eye.

"Get a good look at it.  Once you're ready, wish we were there."

She closed her eyes and imagined herself and Franklin standing in front of the cell.  Instantly, the strange warmth returned, starting in her stomach and spreading throughout her body.  It was quickly followed by a fleeting sense of weightlessness that vanished as suddenly as it had come.

"Open your eyes, Illyana.  We're here."

She risked a peek, and was shocked to see the cell before her.  "I…I did it?"

"You did.  Now it's my turn."  Franklin raised his hand and frowned at the great door, as if it were an annoyance.

There was a long, loud groan as the door slowly slid open, as if it had always been unlocked.  The dim light from the hallway spilled into the cell, revealing a ghostly pale figure chained to the floor.

"Stay here, Illyana," Franklin instructed as he stepped into the cell.  "Wake up, Boost.  It's time to go."

The chains rattled as the thin youth raised his head, his large, pink eyes blinking slowly.  "Psi-Lord?  Can it really be you, after all this time?"

Franklin stopped at once.  "How did you…?"

"The others all told me that you would save us.  I did not dare believe them, but you have come…"  He lowered his head and began to sob quietly.

"Why did he call you Psi-Lord, Franklin?" Illyana whispered.  

"…it's a long story.  Let's just say it's a nickname I picked up along the way."  Franklin bent down and studied the chains.  "Can you escape from these chains, Boost?"

"No, sir.  They are designed to block my mutant power.  I have tried, but…"

"That's okay."  Franklin glanced at the doorway.  "Illyana, I need your help again."

"I don't know anything about picking locks," she informed them as she walked over.

"You don't need to.  You're going to teleport Boost outside of the cell.  You only need to concentrate on taking him and leaving the chains behind."

"But…what if I mess up?  What if I hurt him by accident?"

"You won't," Franklin promised.  "You brought me all the way here, and he weighs less than I do.  You're just taking him a few feet.  I know you can do this, or I wouldn't ask you to."

Illyana took a deep breath and gently placed her hands on Boost's arm, trying to ignore how much it resembled a bone.  It took a little longer, but she was able to summon the warmth again, and soon found herself outside the cell with Boost perfectly intact.

"Excellent work," Franklin said as he emerged next.  With an almost careless motion, he gestured to the door, which shut itself behind them.  "Everything from this point on should be much easier."

"Why is that?" Illyana asked.

"Boost has a very useful mutant power.  He'll show you what I mean.  Boost, if you would?"

With a nod, Boost turned toward Illyana.  His body seemed to convert into a silvery mist as it leaped at her, rushing into her chest.

She gasped as something like a weak electric shock raced throughout her body.

~"I hope I did not frighten you,"~ he apologized from within her head.  

Illyana blinked a few times.  "What just happened…?"

~"My power allows me to enter the bodies of others and give them full control over their powers.  You will find it much easier to teleport while I'm within you."~

She seemed confused.  ~"But…don't you mind it at all?  Not having a body?"~

~"I like to think of myself as a servant of mutantkind.  If I need only to give up my physical form temporarily in order to help my brothers and sisters, so be it.  Besides, it's not uncomfortable.  You have a very pleasant mind…so full of optimism and hope.  It's a welcome change."~  

Illyana smiled at that and turned to Franklin, who seemed to be staring into space.  "Now what?"

He blinked and looked at her.  "Now, we free all the psychics.  But we have to do it in an instant."

"What?  But that's impossible!"

Franklin smiled.  "No, it isn't.  We happen to be three very exceptional people."  He tapped his forehead.  "In here, I have memorized the names, faces, and cell numbers of every psychic ever imprisoned here.  I'm going to share that information with you, and once you have it all, you're going to teleport them all out of here to a location I've already picked out.  I'll also give you an image of what it looks like, of course."

"I…I don't think I can do that!  I mean, I've only done this three times!" Illyana protested.

~"You should not doubt Psi-Lord,"~ Boost chided in her head.  ~"He can do great things with the power of his mind.  If he says we can do something, then we can."~

"Don't be afraid, Illyana," Franklin said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.  "I know this is all very new to you.  But you must understand that countless lives depend on our success.  Each of these prisoners has a home they miss…most have a family that misses them in return.  Would you deny them the right to go home?  It is a right that everyone should have…even you.  And I promise you will go home, when we've liberated everyone."

Illyana bit her lip.  "Okay.  I'll try."

"That is all I ask."  Franklin cupped her face in his hands and closed his eyes.  "Open your mind to me.  I'm going to share the knowledge with you."

It was like someone had opened a floodgate of faces.  Illyana had never seen so many different kinds of people before.  Each of them had its own personal story, and which each passing face, she grew more and more terrified at what Mikhail had done to them.  How could he not see them as the people they so obviously were?  How could he snatch them from their homes?  How dare he take HER from her home?  If she had not believed Franklin before about Mikhail's madness, she did now.

~"They are all depending on you, Illyana,"~ Franklin announced in her head.  ~"You must be their savior now.  Only you can set them free."~

"Then I will," she whispered, calling upon her own power again.  It hit her in a rush this time, supported by Boost's own power.  Not only could she feel the warmth in her own body, she could feel it rippling throughout all of Sector 6, reaching out to include all the faces she'd seen.

"That's all of them," Franklin murmured softly.  "Here's where we're going."

An image of a large, grassy field surrounded by tall, rocky cliffs on all sides popped up in her mind.

"It's time, Illyana.  It's time to go."

She nodded and focused.  The weightless feeling as upon at her once, and this time she dared to open her eyes as she felt her body tugged upwards.  There were flashes of red and black, but nothing that she could make out.  It was all gone in a matter of seconds, and she suddenly found herself landing across Franklin's chest.

He wheezed as all the air was forced out of him, but still managed to smile.  "You got distracted," he said knowingly, "but I do believe you've done it."

Illyana rolled off of him and looked around.  They were surrounded by all of the people she'd seen in her head.  Most of them had landed just as ungracefully as she had, but they seemed to be unhurt.  All of them looked confused as to how they'd gotten there, but the realization that they were free was setting in quickly, and a cheer began to go up.

Franklin fell back into the grass and closed his eyes, laughing loudly.  "We did it.  We really did it!"

Amidst all the shouting, Illyana suddenly remembered something.  ~"Are you okay, Boost?"~

~"I am fine.  But I must admit I have never seen so many people, so…happy before."~

~"Get used to it, Boost,"~ Franklin chuckled.  ~"I have a feeling every last one of them is going to want to shake your hand."~

Illyana then caught sight of a small girl fighting her way through the cheering crowd.  "Hey, isn't that…?"

"Frankie!" squealed the tiny redhead as she launched herself at Franklin, knocking him over in her excitement.

"Good to see you, Ray," he answered, kissing her forehead tenderly.  "Where'd you leave Lilandra?"

"I am here," said the Shi'ar woman as she emerged from the crowd next.  "I assume that all went well?"

"I guess it did," Franklin replied, casting a long look around.  "But this is just the first step.  There is much to do, but they'll all be safe here for now."

"Are you certain?  Deathbird will be outraged when she finds all the prisoners gone.  She will be particularly upset that I managed to escape."

"You let me worry about her.  For now, we'd best get Illyana back into bed.  She and Boost both need their rest, and they won't get it if they're together."

Illyana felt her body relax as Boost rushed out of her, landing in a crouch in front of her.  "Wow.  I'm really sleepy all of a sudden…"

"The loss of my presence can have that effect," Boost explained.

"All the more reason to hurry."  Franklin reached for Illyana's hand.  "Thank you.  Without you, none of this would've been possible."

Illyana pushed his hand away and pulled him into a big hug.  "Something tells me you would've found a way eventually…but you're welcome."

Franklin hesitantly returned the embrace.  "I promise you will go home soon."

"Here's not so bad," she replied, giving him a big smile as she stepped back and promptly vanished.

Endnotes: For those of you unfamiliar with Marrow, Ernie, or Boost:

(Gah…forgot FF.Net doesn't allow web addresses anymore)

Geocities, and then:

/Area51/Realm/5113/mainpag1*htm (* = .)

It's got tons of info on Marrow.  Check the Allies section for Gene Nation & Morlocks. (You won't actually see anyone named Ernie, but more than likely you can guess who he is)


	13. Escape from The Hill

Notes: I've been very careful, and so far I've only used ONE character that hasn't appeared regularly in an X-Book (even that one had appearances in X-Force).  With this chapter, the total goes up to two with the addition of Nitro the Exploding Man.  He's credited with giving Captain Marvel the cancer that led to his death, and has also tangled with Spidey.  I was introduced to him in the latest reincarnation of Heroes for Hire where he appeared in a whopping two issues, 2-3.  He won't be a major character, but he will serve an important purpose for the short time he is here.

Chapter 13: Escape from The Hill

Franklin Richards awoke with a rising feeling of dread in his stomach.  Had he been anyone else, he would've passed it off as a bad case of nerves.  But especially powerful psychics like him generally couldn't afford to ignore gut feelings.

The first thing he did was a head count.  Of course he knew how many there were in all, as he knew each of their faces.  So when he came up two short, who knew exactly who was gone.

Nearby, his best friend picked up on his concern, even in her sleep.  "What's wrong, Frankie?" Ray asked as she sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Two of our number are missing."

"Oh.  Well, you said some might run away, right?"

Franklin shook his head gravely.  "You don't understand, Ray.  One of them is Boost.  He wouldn't just leave, not with the faith he had in me.  He had to have been forced.  I can sense his fear."

Ray frowned.  "So who else is gone?"

"He was only identified by a number, but I know his face.  A middle-aged man, with long, white hair and red eyes."

"…I knew him," said a voice.

Franklin turned to see a lanky, bald boy step forward.  "You saw him leave?"

The boy shook his head.  "I was in the cell next to him.  He called himself Nitro.  He was…angry a lot."

"Did he ever say anything about getting revenge?"

The boy nodded.  "That's all he ever talked about."

Franklin closed his eyes and looked away.

"What is it, Frankie?" Ray asked, touching his arm.

"I've been a fool."  He opened his eyes and sighed.  "I assumed that Mikhail was only taking psychics.  But if this Nitro had been one, I would've picked up on his thoughts instantly.  He must have some other power…and if his name is any indicator, Boost and the rest of us are in real danger."

"So what do we do now?"

"We do our best to stop Nitro and save Boost.  Without him…I'm not sure we can do this."

"Tell me what to do," Ray insisted.

Franklin smiled at her gratefully.  "Call Illyana.  Tell her we need her."

"What about you?"

"I have to go back to Sector 6.  It has to be where Nitro's going.  He wouldn't have seen any other place."

"But you can't go alone!" Ray cried.

"I will go as well," Lilandra volunteered at once, startling them both.  "You need someone to feed The Hill and convince the workers that everything is fine, correct?"

"Assuming Nitro hasn't already announced himself, yes," Franklin replied.  "The two of us should be able to generate enough psychic power to be convincing."

"Why can't I go?" Ray pleaded.  "You know I can help, Frankie!"

"You have to stay here, Ray.  If…something happens to me, you have to get the others home."

"No!  You're going to come back or nobody's going anywhere!"

"You know you don't mean that."  Franklin pressed his hand to her cheek.  "You're the second most powerful psi here, Ray.  You have to protect and guide them, in case I can't."

"But I won't know what to do without you," Ray whispered sadly.

He smiled.  "Yes, you will.  You're smarter than you give yourself credit for.  Once Illyana is here, you must do everything in your power to keep her safe.  Only she can defeat Mikhail and The Hill."

* * * * *

Nate sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair.  "Man, I'm beat.  I never thought staring at a bear would make me this tired."

Wanda leaned on his shoulder and picked at a blade of grass.  "Hey, you're not the only one.  I was stuck trying to get him to open up, too.  I'm beginning to think that maybe Illyana doesn't want to be found.  Maybe she's happy she's been reunited with Mikhail."

"That may be true.  But I'd like to think the rest of us had a bigger impact on Yana than that.  She might be happy at first, but eventually she'd start to miss us.  I just hope Mikhail doesn't get angry when that happens.  He must be pretty powerful, to grab her from another dimension."

"But she's his baby sister.  You don't think he'd really…hurt her, do you?"

Nate's eyes flared.  "If he does, my body count's going up by one.  That's a promise."

Wanda blinked and looked at her friend, gasping when she saw his eyes had taken on a golden glow.  "Nate…?"

There was no response.

For some reason, she did not like that look in his eyes.  "C'mon, Nate.  You're starting to scare me.  You're not seriously thinking about killing Mikhail, are you?  How do you think Illyana would feel?"

Again, there was no reply.

Wanda was about to blast Nate with one of her hex bolts when they were interrupted.

"Nate!  Hey, Naaaaate!"

Wanda looked up to see Musty heading straight for them with Marrow riding on his shoulder.  She was about to warn them to stay away when Nate suddenly groaned and shook his head.  "You okay?" she asked suspiciously.

"Um…headache, I think.  Bad one."  Nate blinked a few times.  "Must be more tired than I realized."

Marrow hopped down and ran up to Nate.  "You have to read my mind!" she insisted, tugging on his arm.  "I had a dream last night, and Yana was in it!  There might be some clues in it!"

"Sounds like a long shot," Wanda murmured doubtfully.

"We can't afford to ignore any options right now," Nate replied, placing a hand on Marrow's head.  "Try to recall the dream, Marrow."

Marrow shut her eyes tightly.

Wanda and Musty looked on in silence.

Finally, Nate removed his hand.  "If Marrow's dream is any indicator, Yana's safe for now.  Wherever she is, she has friends…powerful friends.  I think she's going to be fine.  No idea how to get to her, or where she is, though."

"Maybe we should ask if someone else had a dream?" Marrow suggested hopefully.

"Good idea…but you'd better get Dr. Grey or Professor X to do it," Nate said, rubbing his forehead as he stood up.  "I'm no good when I use my powers this much.  I'll see you guys in…maybe a week."

"A week?!" Wanda cried.

"Yeah.  That's how long I'll probably need to sleep in order to recharge.  In fact, I could use a lift, Musty."

The Wendigo easily picked up Nate and headed back to the mansion.

Wanda watched them go with a look of concern.  For a moment, Nate had definitely not been himself.  Or perhaps he HAD been himself…and if so, she didn't know him half as well as she thought she did.

* * * * *

Deathbird had just finished eating breakfast when the communicator on her shoulder began to warble.

Illyana made no attempt to hide her curiosity.  "You gonna yell at 'em for calling you at home?"

"They know better, unless it's an emergency."  Deathbird tapped the communicator.  "What?"

"My Lady, there's a major problem in Sector 6.  All the prisoners are gone, and-"

"ALL of them?!" Deathbird snapped.

"…forgive me, My Lady.  Your sis—I mean, the primary generators are still online, but the others are gone.  Also, we have…something of a hostage situation."

"Mikhail is away on business.  Who could else could even be worth bargaining for?"

"…it's Nitro, My Lady.  He's threatening to combine with Boost and blow up The Hill itself."

Deathbird's face darkened.  "Boost is to be taken alive.  If he is harmed in any way, I'll have your head."

"Understood, My Lady.  And what of Nitro?"

"Him, I want dead by the time I reach Sector 6.  You have thirty minutes."  Deathbird slapped her communicator and stood up.

"Who's Nitro?" Illyana asked.

"Someone who will cease to matter or exist very shortly.  I must attend to this matter personally, child.  You will stay here.  My home is well-guarded; you will be perfectly safe."

"Okay," Illyana replied easily.

Deathbird raised an eyebrow at that, but chose not to comment on it.  "I should be back shortly."

"I'll have the chessboard set up when you come home!"

The Shi'ar woman smiled, if only slightly.  "Be good," she said, touching the girl's head briefly as she left the dining room.

Illyana ran to the den and began to move pieces on the chessboard.  ~"She's gone, Ray.  Should I come now?"~

Her answer came in the form of being yanked through what seemed to be a swirling black hole, only to land in soft grass.

"Sorry about that," Ray apologized with a smile, helping her up.  "Frankie said you shouldn't use your powers unless you had to, so I brought you my own way."

"I thought you two were only telepaths?"

"We're not 'only' anything," Ray replied, smirking.  "You'd be surprised what Frankie could teach you…if he had the time."

"Where is he?" Illyana asked.

"He and Lilandra went to save Boost and stop Nitro."

"But…that's what Deathbird's trying to do!" Illyana cried.

Ray frowned.  "Then I hope she gets in his way."

* * * * *

Boost wisely shrank back as Nitro stomped past him again, muttering to himself.  The young mutant had learned very quickly that everything about his captor was explosive, including his temper.  While Boost was relatively safe, as Nitro needed him, it was best not to test his luck.

"THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING, NITRO!" an amplified voice outside the locked room shouted.  "SEND OUT BOOST OR WE COME IN SHOOTING!"

Boost looked anxiously at Nitro, who stopped pacing and smirked.

"Idiots," the older man spat.  "They'll all be dead before they can blink."  

"I would have to advise against that, Mr. Robert Hunter."

Nitro spun around to see Franklin Richards standing behind him.  "You!  How did you get in here?!"

"I'm not actually here; this is just an avatar of sorts."  Franklin's eyes narrowed.  "You know how I got your name, and you must have some idea of what I can do.  Which is why I'm going to give you a chance.  Let Boost go and you can have whatever you want."

"Well, that's a problem," Nitro replied.  "Boost IS what I want."

"Why?  What could a man with your power possibly need Boost for?"

"I've seen what he can do.  I need total control of my power to do what I'm planning.  Quickly, anyway."

"Then you don't intend to harm him?" Franklin asked.

"That would defeat the purpose of using him, so no.  I have every intention of letting him go once I have my revenge."

"Revenge on whom?"

Nitro sneered.  "Every being that calls The Hill home.  If any survive, they'll know what it feels like to be taken forcibly from your home and dumped in an alien wasteland."

"Then…you can see through The Hill's illusions?"

Nitro shook his head.  "No.  But I blew up my share of them when they brought me here.  The illusions draw back briefly when The Hill is damaged.  With Boost's help, it'll take a lot longer for it recover from the damage I cause.  I should be able to destroy The Hill if I keep exploding and reforming faster than it can heal itself."

"…that's actually not a bad idea," Franklin murmured thoughtfully.  "It should work, if Lilandra & I stop feeding The Hill just before you begin.  But I must ask you for two favors first: announce your intentions to The Hill's population and give me an hour to create protective shields for the other former prisoners."

The man scowled.  "I have no ill will against the others, but why warn our jailers?  What makes you think they'll wait an hour?"

"They're smarter than you think.  Many will actually give up and back off, once they realize what you're capable of.  Those, at least, should be given a chance to leave and live.  Anyone here after an hour will suffer the consequences of their stupidity.  And I know they will wait.  They know as well as I do that you could explode whenever you wanted to.  They're not going to risk you destroying Boost.  They brought him here for a reason, after all."

* * * * *

Wanda opened her eyes as Professor X withdrew his hands from her head.  "So?  What do you think, Uncle Chuck?"

Professor X frowned and sat back in his chair.  "I think Nate is a deeply disturbed young man.  At least, half of him is."

"Half?" Wanda asked, a puzzled expression on her face.  "What do you mean?"

"I now sense two distinct thought patterns within him.  One belongs to the Nate we know…and the other assumedly belongs to the entity that you glimpsed this afternoon."

"Are you saying there's something living inside him?"

"Not exactly.  If my guess is correct, Nate himself IS two joined entities.  Either he was born that way, or this second, darker half developed slowly over time.  It's not that surprising, considering he claims to come from an alternate Earth.  Possibly, his crossing over had an effect on his body and mind that he didn't notice."

"Then…we can't trust him?" Wanda asked, looking worried.

"Half of him, at least.  Nate has always had the potential to be dangerous, but we have yet to actually see him do anything to harm anyone.  For now, I don't think we have anything to worry about, so long as he keeps the darker side suppressed."

"And if he doesn't?"

Xavier closed his eyes.  "Let us just hope that Illyana is returned to us safely.  Otherwise, I could no longer consider this school a safe haven with Nate on the grounds."

* * * * *

"Are you sure we shouldn't do something to help Franklin?" Illyana asked.  "I know he's strong, but…"

"I wish we could," Ray sighed.  "But he told me to stay here with you and the others."

~"And I am glad that you listened to me, Ray."~

Ray's eyes lit up.  ~"Frankie!  Is everything okay?  Did you find Boost?"~

~"Nitro has agreed to work with us.  In a little less than an hour, he's going to blow up The Hill."~

~"What…?  But we'll still be on it!"~

~"I know.  He will blow up everything but the valley where you are currently.  Once we are a safe distance away and ready to leave, he will blow that up as well.  I need you to prepare a telekinetic bubble big enough to carry everyone.  It shouldn't be too hard for you."~

~"Okay.  But how are we going to leave?  Are you going to open a hole in space again?"~

~"I won't have to.  Illyana will be able to transport us, with some assistance.  We'll take everyone back to their proper worlds."~

Ray looked over at Illyana, who seemed to be scratching her forehead.  ~"Can she really do that?"~

~"If she can't, Boost and I will help her.  I must go now, Ray.  I'll call again right before the detonation."~

~"Okay.  Be safe, Frankie…"~

~"You as well, Ray."~

"Oh, poo," Illyana said with a pout.  "I'm getting a pimple.  No, two of them!"

Ray looked at Illyana's head and frowned.  "Those aren't pimples."

"Well, what else could they be?" Illyana asked, fingering the two small bumps on her forehead carefully.

"They aren't pimples," Ray said after a long moment.  "That much I'm sure of."

* * * * *

"We're in position, Mystique."

"Good, Pietro," a man that looked exactly like Senator Robert Kelly said into the radio.  "Then it's time to activate our little sleeper."

"You're sure you can control him?"

The senator laughed merrily.  "Of course I can't.  That's the whole point, dear boy.  No one CAN."  

"I suppose…"

Kelly lifted a small, odd speaker to his lips.  "Ernie," he whispered in a soft, silky, motherly voice.  "Ernie, dear.  Can you hear me?"

"Yes, Raven," came a young, hushed voice.  

"It's time, sweetie.  Time to remember.  You remember that night, don't you?  How much fun you had?"

"I…I…yes…I remember…"

"Good.  Then show them.  Show them they shouldn't tease you or exclude you.  Show them you're just as good a mutant as any of them.  Show them your true power!"

"I…I will, Raven," said a startlingly different voice.  "I'll show them all…"

Kelly put the speaker down and chuckled softly.  "Of that, my young friend, I have no doubt."

* * * * *

Mikhail smiled slightly as he set the ship down.  "Home sweet home.  Everyone out, lads."

Behind him, a small boy with bright eyes and dirty brown hair shrank back against the wall.  Most striking about him was the shock of white hair hanging before his eyes, and the middle finger of his left hand, which seemed to be made of metal.

"Come now, don't be afraid," Mikhail said gently.  "Look, your friend there isn't."

The boy glared up at him.  "My friend is an android."

"Yes, well, he isn't afraid.  Now come along."

The boy swallowed nervously.  "Let's do as he says, Seven."

The white-uniformed android stepped forward at once, clearly following the boy's suggestion.

Mikhail smirked at that, but said nothing about it.  "That's more like it.  We should hurry and-"

Anything else Mikhail said was lost in a huge, rumbling roar from somewhere close by.  He spun around, shocked to see that where Sector 6 once stood, there was nothing more a blood-red cloud of destruction.

"NO!" he shouted, grabbing both their arms.  "Take us there at once!"

The boy looked uneasy, but after noticing the manic look in Mikhail's eyes, he nodded.

The android spread its arms wide, and a swirling wormhole opened up before them.  It had barely formed completely when Mikhail dragged them both into it.

* * * * *

Piotr was almost finished with yet another sketch of Jubilee when he heard the terrified scream.

Jubilee looked up at once.  "That was Kitty!"

Storm touched down in front of them a second later.  "Jubilee!  Lead the students back into the school!  Piotr, with me!"  She was off a moment later, followed by the steel-skinned Colossus.

Upon rounding the corner of the mansion, they found a scene of utter chaos.

Students were screaming and running in all directions.  In the midst of the scene was the obvious cause of the disturbance: a hulking, gray mass of muscle, bone, and rage.  Logan had managed to get a strong grip on its neck, and Musty was doing his best to hold it at bay, but it was clear they weren't having much luck, from the way they were being flung around like rag dolls.

"What is that thing?!" Piotr cried as he charged forward.

"Ugly all day!" Logan shouted back.  "Get yer shiny butt over here, kid!"

"No, get clear!" Storm ordered.  "I'm going to hit it!"

Logan shook his head as best he could.  "Do yer worst, darlin', cuz I don't think it'll do any good!"

Storm flew higher and raised her hands.  Seconds later, several bolts of lightning tore from the sky and struck the gray behemoth in the head and chest.  When the dust cleared, there was not a scratch on it, nor had it even slowed down.

With a yell, Colossus barreled into the walking monstrosity's ribs with all his strength.  He was more than a little surprised when he heard a crack, but as pain clouded his mind, he realized that the crack must've been in his own armor.  Quickly, he stumbled back, trying to get away.

But it had seen him weakening, and pressed the attack at once, bringing a fist the size of a car down onto Colossus's shattered shoulder.  Steel turned to flesh, and Piotr dropped to the ground like a stone.

Roaring in triumph, the gray beast raised a fist to crush the fallen student.

"You've done enough damage for one day, mister."

A beam of furious crimson energy flew across the yard and slammed into the behemoth's chest, pushing it back a foot.

Cyclops paused, frowned, and fired again, this time knocking the beast onto its back, nearly crushing Logan in the process.  "I can punch through a mountain at full power.  What's HE made of?!"

Logan landed beside him with a grunt, having been thrown clear.  "Ain't snails and puppy dog tails, that's for sure."

"Can he even feel pain?"

"I'll let you knew when we manage to hurt 'em, Cyke.  You've had the best luck so far…and I'm not even sure you gave him an itch to scratch."

"So no holding back?"

Logan bit his lip.  "I'll put it like this.  If HE'S holding back, we're dead."

* * * * *

"Not good," Wanda muttered as she watched the fight from the War Room's display screen.  "I don't think anyone can stop that thing.  We still don't even know what it IS yet."

"Ernie," Professor Xavier said after a moment.  "At least, it used to be.  I suspected his mutation had something to do with transformation, based on what he showed me.  But I had no idea he could take it this far—that he could even exercise that much control over it."

"If that's control, I'd hate to see what he's like without it," Jubilee muttered.

"Why is he doing this?" Marrow whispered, tears in her eyes.  "Ernie isn't like that.  He wouldn't just hurt people!  He's my friend!"

"Maybe he don' have a choice, petite," Remy murmured softly.  "But you stay here wit Wanda.  Remy got a few questions for your pal."

"Remy, you can't!" Jubliee cried at once.  "Even Cyclops can't hurt him!  What can you do?"

Remy's crimson eyes seemed to glow.  "He a boy, non?  So he never had a hot flash before."

"Don't hurt him, Remy," Marrow pleaded, tugging on his hand.  "Please?"

He leaned down and tousled her short red hair.  "Don' you worry, petite.  Remy jus' gonna get his attention."  With that, he turned and walked out of the room.

"Remy's power may actually give him an advantage," Xavier noted.  "He's the only energy wielder here that can channel it directly into a living being."

A moment later, Jean Grey entered the room with Piotr's body floating beside her.  "His arm's broken for sure, but that's all I know."

"Hang in there, Petey," Jubilee whispered.

Amazingly, Piotr opened his eyes.  "I have…nothing better to do, Jubilee."

"You showed extraordinary bravery out there, son," Xavier said.

"You'll have to forgive me if I don't share your pride, Professor.  That…thing…is unstoppable."

"I can stop him," Marrow said at once.

"Not a chance," Wanda replied.

"You have to let me!  I'm the only one that understands him!  I know I can get him to stop!  Ernie would never hurt me!"

"I bet a lot of people believed that until today, sweetie, and you saw how they fared."

"His mind is untouchable, Marrow," Xavier explained.  "Not unlike his body.  I don't even think Nate could penetrate his mind.  We may never find out, since he has yet to wake up."  

"Just let me ask him what he wants!" Marrow pleaded.  "I know he'll tell me!  He trusts me!"

"I can't allow that.  Too many have already been hurt at Ernie's hands."

"What about Nate's shield?  Wouldn't that protect me?"

"…possibly.  But as your friend seems to have a talent for turning back our powers, I'm concerned he might be able to break through it."

"But he wouldn't even try!" Marrow insisted.  "He doesn't want to hurt me!"

"Looks like we're gonna find out," Jubilee whispered.

On screen, the gray creature that was once Ernie pounded Logan into the ground, and then headed straight for the mansion.

* * * * *

The Hill was alive.  That much was obvious, as it was clearly in the process of dying.

As far as the eye could see, there was only mud, muddy water, and dead and dying trees.  The thought that any of it had ever seemed like anything else was almost laughable.

Mikhail was not laughing.

"This can't be," he whispered.  "My home…our home…"

"I warned you."  

He turned to see Deathbird glaring at him.  "What?"

"You actually have to wonder who did this?!  I told you from the start that we should've killed Richards, but you wouldn't listen.  You NEVER listen, and now look where it's gotten us!"

Mikhail shook his head.  "He was too powerful, and The Hill wanted him too much.  I couldn't just get rid of him.  He was too valuable…"

"How valuable was your sister?  She's gone, too."

"WHAT?!"  Mikhail grabbed Deathbird by the throat.  "I left her in your care!  You swore to me that you would protect her as if she were your own!  If one hair on her precious head is misplaced, so help me, I'll…"

"Let her go, Miko!"

Relief flooded Mikhail's face when he spotted Illyana a few feet away.  "Snowflake," he whispered.  "You're safe.  Thank goodness.  I thought-"

"You thought you could treat mutants like batteries for The Hill," she said coldly.  Her eyes were wet with tears.  "I just wonder, Miko…would you have done that to Piotr?  To me?"

"No…never," he stated firmly.  "You were meant for far greater things, Illyana."

"I know that now…now that I've met Franklin and the others."

Mikhail's face darkened.  "All lies.  They couldn't possibly know your true purpose here."

"No?  Well, they taught me to do this!"  Illyana vanished, and when she reappeared, Deathbird was beside her, gasping for air.

Strangely, Mikhail smiled.  "I see you have discovered your mutant power."

"No.  Franklin showed it to me.  He also showed me what you're doing to mutants.  And he showed me that I have to stop you."

"You shouldn't believe everything you hear, little one."

"Then look me in the eye and tell me you were going to send me home one day," Illyana challenged.

Mikhail stared at her.  "You are home, Illyana.  This is where you belong.  With me."

"No, this is just where you brought me.  My home is with Piotr and my friends.  If you won't send me back, I'll find my own way."

"You can't leave.  You don't realize how much The Hill needs you."

"You're the one it needs, Miko.  It's feeding off you, too!  Can't you see that?!"

"I can't let you leave."  Mikhail raised his hand.  "I would never hurt you, snowflake…but I can't let you leave."  Even as he spoke, tree roots shot up and wrapped tightly around Illyana and Deathbird.  "You just can't see what The Hill has in store for you yet.  But trust me, it's all for the best.  We are the rulers of this place, Illyana, and we will rule it together."

"If I am meant to rule here, why are you holding me prisoner?  And poor Piotr will never know what happened to me.  None of them will.  All because you were so selfish."

"I will admit I was overjoyed at the thought of spending time with you," Mikhail said.  "But that is not the only reason you are here.  I am part of The Hill…as it grows stronger, so do I.  With your untapped potential, we will grow even stronger.  We will never have to worry about death.  We will be gods, snowflake…immortal and untouched by time.  We can be together forever, the way we were meant to be."

"Franklin was right," Illyana whispered.  "You're insane, Miko.  I want to stay and help you, but…I have to take those mutants back to their homes.  I made a promise.  I won't break it for you, or anyone else."

While Illyana spoke, her face began to change.  What she had once thought of as pimples grew outward, revealing themselves to be a pair of small, yellow horns.  The curves of her face became angular and took on shadows that had not been there previously.  Her eyes took on a crimson hue.

Deathbird looked shocked.

Mikhail did not.  "Yes," he whispered, a giddy smile on his face.  "That's it, my snowflake.  This is your true power…the one that will make us gods."

"Pitiful fool," Illyana whispered in a voice totally unlike hers.  "There is only one god here, and she is MOST displeased."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Getting to some long overdue comments in the reviews:

Trish: Sorry, I forgot about the Bamf doll.  Miko suits my evil purposes better, so I used him instead.  I needed a plushie with a connection to Mikhail.  Didn't want to trick the 'Crawler fans into thinking he'd show up here, as he most likely won't.

RockerChica: I see you know your X-History.  Now hush, or you'll give away my entire plot.  Well, most of it, anyway.

Verthril: Actually, I hope you ARE curious as to what Magnus is up to.  If you're not yet, hopefully you will be by the time he takes a larger role in the story.

WildWolvie: If you don't know who someone is, please e-mail me so I can set you on the path to understanding.  This is in the movie section because when I planned out the story, I imagined it taking place in the movieverse.  I've added non-movie people, but in my head it's still the movie.  I have remained true to the movie: Rogue is young & has a bond with Logan (she wouldn't in the comics), Mystique has replaced the dead senator, and Magneto is in prison.  If this wasn't in the movie section, you wouldn't associate the characters with their movie selves, and certain things wouldn't make sense.  Rogue does not regularly go by Marie in the comics (or anywhere else BUT the movie), nor does she have a bond with Logan anywhere else.  If this story was in the comic section, people would ask me when Rogue & Logan got so close.  Keep in mind that the movieverse is very different from the comics in some ways.

Jeanne Marie: You probably DO have Ernie pegged.  I'll reveal him when the time is right.

Darlin: Boost is a Gene National, and not from AOA.  Easy to miss, as he only appeared once, ever.  I haven't even gotten close to finishing this story.  I could tell you who Musty is...but it's a surprise.  All I can tell you is that Musty is a mutant shape shifter.  

Any more questions for me?  Don't know who someone is or what's going on with Yana?


	14. Friendly Foe

Notes: For those who wondered, that boy with the android that Mikhail abducted will be identified at the end of this chapter.  Sort of.

Chapter 15: Friendly Foe

Ray had been floating her telekinetic bubble over the remains of The Hill for nearly fifteen minutes when she finally spotted another, smaller bubble heading towards her.

"Frankie!" she called excitedly, waving to her friend.  "Is everyone okay?"

"I was going to ask you the same, Ray," Franklin replied as his bubble was absorbed into hers, rejoining their parties.  With him were Lilandra, Nitro, and Boost.

"It would seem that our scheme has paid off," Nitro commented as he surveyed the barren land.  "I have yet to see any attempts at regeneration."

"It was quite an explosion," Lilandra commented, nodding respectfully to Boost, who blushed.  "I believe the chief threats now are my sister and Mikhail."

Upon hearing that last name, Franklin's eyes narrowed.  "Where is Illyana?"

"Oh, she's right-" Rachel began to say as she pointed, only to find an empty space next to her.  "-here?"

"Ray, be ready to leave at any moment.  I'm going to get her.  Boost, you'd better come, too."

"Yes, Psi-Lord," Boost agreed at once, turning into a mist that entered Franklin's chest.

"Shouldn't you take someone else with you?" Ray suggested, looking worried.

"No.  This will be the final battle.  If Illyana has gone to face Mikhail, as I think she has, it is better if only we go.  I stand the best chance of surviving, and Boost almost guarantees that."

"Almost?" Ray asked, her voice trembling.

"Be ready to leave," Franklin repeated firmly before he faded from view.  "We won't get any second chances."

* * * * *

The young mutant boy known as Remy Lebeau ceased to exist the moment he saw the huge creature thundering towards the front door.  From then on, there was only Gambit.

"That be far enough, mon ami!" he called out, holding up a playing card that was practically overflowing with charged energy.  "You come any closer, you gotta play wit Gambit."

To his amazement, the gray monstrosity did stop for a moment, as if recognizing him.  "You leave now, Gambit…or you will be crushed!" it roared.

"So you still talk, eh?  An' just who Gambit have the pleasure of conversin' wit?  I take it Ernie out to lunch…"

"There is no Ernie," the hulking figure growled.  "Only Hemingway!"  With another roar on his lips, he leaped at the front door.

"Gambit promise petite he won't hurt you, mon ami…but Gambit doubt you feel dis, anyway."  Gambit flicked the card directly into Hemingway's gaping mouth and dodged aside.

There was a muffled explosion as Hemingway's mouth snapped shut, followed by the louder sound of him obliterating the school's front door with his huge weight.  If Gambit's card had given him internal injuries, he gave no sign of them as he scrambled to his feet and made his way into the school.

Gambit frowned and gave chase, pulling what appeared to be a metal baton from his pocket as he ran.  As he gripped it tightly in his hand and sent a tiny energy pulse through it, however, the baton suddenly jerked and became a long staff.  Without a second's hesitation, Gambit planted the staff in the floor and threw his weight upward, pole vaulting all the way across the room and landing squarely between Hemingway's broad shoulders.  "Gambit not done wit you yet, mon ami!"

Growling in annoyance, Hemingway swatted his back with one giant hand, just missing Gambit's head in the process.  "Get off!  Hemingway busy!"

"Got dat right, Ernie," Gambit replied, pressing his hands firmly against the monster's gray skin.  "You and Gambit, we dance partners now.  You don' want nobody cuttin' in, either.  Gambit let go, things get real hot, real fast."

Finally, Hemingway stopped in his tracks, realizing what Gambit was telling him.  "You make Marrow sad."

"Oui.  All you gotta do is stop where you are, and she don' have to be sad.  Your choice, mon ami."

Hemingway appeared to be thinking it over, and Gambit thought he had finally reached the friend that Marrow had insisted was inside him.  But then, Hemingway looked sadly over his shoulder at the boy.  "Do what you must.  Hemingway no stop."  He turned and headed upstairs.

Gambit was in shock.  For whatever reason Hemingway had attacked the school, he was willing to get blown to bits to do it.  Gambit couldn't just LET him go on attacking people…but he had never thought he'd have to kill the big brute.  Part of him had hoped that Marrow was right about Ernie not wanting to hurt people.  But Ernie was clearly not part of the picture anymore.  All the same, Gambit could not bring himself to let go or stop pouring charged energy into Hemingway's body.  If this thing really intended to hurt people, Gambit had to stop him.  No one else could, not even Professor X.

So he hung on as Hemingway charged through the mansion, until they finally reached the War Room.  Gambit thought about warning the others, but realized they couldn't have missed Hemingway's pounding footsteps echoing throughout the school, anyway.

Hemingway flattened the door with his fist and tore into the room.

Gambit was only slightly relieved to see that most of the students were gone, probably having fled to the tunnels beneath the school.  Unfortunately, the two people that remained were Jean Grey and Professor X.  Jean had thrown up a crimson shield, but he suspected that wouldn't last long.

With a snort, Hemingway thumped the shield experimentally with his thumb a few times, before bringing his entire fist down on it.

Jean trembled visibly under the strain, but the shield held.

The next time, both of Hemingway's fists slammed into the shield.

Jean cried out and fell to her knees, gripping her head in her hands.  And still the shield held.

Grinning terribly, Hemingway flung himself at the shield, bodyslamming it with jarring force.

Jean collapsed to the floor, and the shield disintegrated.

"Nobody stop Hemingway."  He strode up to the Professor and picked the man up in one huge hand.

"Don't you dare hurt him, Ernie!" cried a voice behind them.

Professor X's eyes widened in shock as he spotted Marrow emerging from a hidden panel in the wall.  "Marrow!  Get back!  Please, don't come any closer!"  He didn't seem to notice that Hemingway had frozen stiff.

Marrow swallowed nervously and slowly approached the gray monster.  "I know you're in there, Ernie.  That's how I know you won't hurt me, no matter how much you've changed."

Hemingway's grip on the Professor tightened ever so slightly, and he took a step back.

"Remy, let him go," Marrow whispered.

Gambit shook his head.  "Can't do that, petite."

"Remy, please!"

"No, REALLY can't, petite," he replied, nodding at his hands.

"Then take it all back," Marrow insisted.

Gambit stared at her.  "You better know what you doin', petite."

"I do."  Marrow stared up at Hemingway.  "Just let Ernie go."

It took a few minutes, but Gambit absorbed all the energy he'd channeled into Hemingway and dropped to the floor, quickly moving out of reach.

Marrow began to approach again, even as Hemingway backed into the wall.  "Don't be scared of me, Ernie," she pleaded, reaching for his hand.  "I'm your friend, remember?"

The monster shook his head.  "Stay back, Marrow!  Come no closer!"

"You used to call me something else," she said softly.  "Do you remember?"

"NO!" he shouted.

"I think you do," she continued.  "Say it, Ernie.  Tell me my name."

"Can't!  Won't!"

"Please, Ernie?" Marrow whispered.  "I know you didn't want to hurt anyone today.  Just tell me my name, and we can put this all behind us.  We'll pretend like it never happened.  Just put Professor X down and say my name."

"NO!!!" Hemingway roared, panic thick in his throat.  "Can't let him go!  Need to know!  Have to…find out…for Raven…"

Professor X's eyes lit up at that name, and so did Gambit's.  But it obviously meant nothing to Marrow.

"So you're helping her.  But would you really hurt your friends just because she told you to?"  She came even closer and laid her tiny hand on Hemingway's fist.  "Would you really hurt me?"

"Never," Hemingway groaned, "hurt Marrow…can't…"

Marrow shook her head.  "Say my name, Ernie.  What's my name?"

There was a sharp snap, followed by a loud thump as a jutting spur of bone fell from Hemingway's shoulder and buried itself in the floor.  Soon another followed it, and then another, and another, until most of them were falling off.  The rest seemed to draw into his body as it twisted and shrank in on itself.  In seconds, there was only a pile of broken bone mass.  Visible in the pile, however, was a head of sandy hair with patches missing here and there.

Marrow waded through the mess and gently cupped the boy's face in her hands.  "What's my name?"

"Sarah," Ernie whispered hoarsely, tears spilling down his face.  "Sarah…"  He collapsed into her arms, sobbing miserably.

Marrow shushed him and stroked his hair gently.  "It's okay, Ernie," she murmured.  "Everything's okay."

Gambit went over to check on Jean.  Finding her vitals strong, he sighed and moved to the Professor.  "Best field trip I ever been on, Prof.  But I tink we gonna need seat belts next time, non?"

Professor X smiled weakly.  "I couldn't agree more, Remy."

* * * * *

Illyana laid her hands gently on the tree roots that imprisoned her.  At once, they shriveled and crumbled to dust, revealing that her clothes had changed as much as he face.  She now wore only a piece of lightweight silver armor that covered her shoulders and chest, along with a red loincloth, held up by threads of golden hair decorated with various animal teeth.

The most startling change was in her lower half. Her legs were covered in dusting of pale, ghostly white fur, ending in two large hooves where her feet had been.  

Anyone else would've been horrified, but Mikhail smiled as if all was right with the world.  "Yes, snowflake!  This is what you were always meant to be!"

Illyana glared at him, her golden horns gleaming.  "You foolish insect.  I am no more your sibling than you are alive.  Rest assured that if I were ever to take a throne, it would be mine and mine alone.  I will share power with no one!"

Mikhail chuckled.  "But you are new to this, Illyana.  There is so much that I can teach you."

"All you have taught me is that madness is contagious.  I have no desire to be exposed to you any longer.  You have infected this entire dimension with your illusions.  It is time that someone tore them down permanently."  She stretched out her right hand, and a shining sword appeared in it, overflowing with sparkling energy.

"What do you intend to do with that?" Mikhail asked, sounding amused.

Illyana did not answer.  Instead, she vanished from view.

Mikhail knew exactly where his sister was, yet made no move to defend himself.  His mutant powers had grown immensely since first encountering The Hill, and it was fair to say that even Franklin would've had trouble containing his true might.  But the simple fact was, Mikhail Rasputin was no longer in complete control of his mental faculties.  Though it was perfectly logical for him to assume that Illyana would never harm him, the fog of insanity around his mind refused to admit that the creature he faced was no longer totally Illyana.  At least, not enough to keep her from harming him.

So while he did turn around in time to see her appear in mid-slash, Mikhail only held out welcoming arms.

For her part, the creature that had once been Illyana saw only a roadblock that needed demolishing.  Though she had never used a sword before, in her hand, it was little more than an extension of herself, and wielding it was as easy as using an extra finger.  So it was almost with practiced skill that she sliced open a fist-sized hole in his chest, exactly over his heart.

She half-expected blood to come gushing out and fly all over her face, so she was more than disappointed when the thick patch of flesh merely fell away with no mess at all.  It was rather like cutting open a dried out pumpkin.  With a shrug, she raised her sword again to finish the job.

A hand closed over hers.  "I don't think you want to do that."

Her first instinct was to snarl.  But as her gaze landed on the single, blazing blue that stared back at her, the sound died in her throat.  It was not fear the gripped her now, but an overwhelming sense that she would never encounter another being that was to the light what she was to the darkness.

"Who are you that would stay my hand?" she asked warily.

"A kindred spirit, and nothing more."  He paused and continued to stare at her.  "Unless, of course, you know me?"  He stopped there, knowing it would be a mistake to address her as Illyana just then.

She focused on his eye a moment longer, and some of the crimson in her own faded.  "Franklin?" she whispered.

"Yes, Illyana," he said soothingly, squeezing her hand.

"I-I feel weird," she confessed, tears spilling down her face.  "Like I'm sick inside."

"You're not sick," Franklin confirmed, and there was sadness in his tone.  "At least, there's nothing that needs to be cured."

"What are you saying?!" she cried.  "That I'm supposed to be like this?!"

He closed his eye and sighed.  "Illyana, try to understand.  I believe that your Rasputin blood is highly adaptable.  You can undergo transformations, depending on your surroundings.  Mikhail was exposed to The Hill, and as such, he and it have become of one mind.  Your mutant power allows you to teleport.  To do that, however, you open portals and pass through a certain dimension, perhaps not totally unlike this one.  Something in this dimension has caused you to transform as well."

"But…you can help me, right?" Illyana asked desperately.  "You can change me back?"

"I can think of only one solution, and I am unwilling to do it."  Franklin looked away.  "I would have to literally take your mutant power from you, in order to seal off whatever caused this.  That is not possible, since you would need it to leave this place."

"But afterwards…couldn't you-"

"Your brother is dying," Franklin interrupted.

Illyana froze, and then looked up at Mikhail, who still had a ghastly smile plastered on his face.  Then she noticed the hole in his chest, and her eyes widened at what she saw inside.

There was no heart inside Mikhail's chest.

At least, it was not visible.  There was, however, what looked exactly like a miniature tree trunk, pulsing with obvious life every few seconds.

Franklin looked on in dismay.  "Your brother is far more connected to The Hill than I realized.  He IS The Hill, and at this point, one cannot survive without the other."

* * * * *

Jubilee had been in the tunnels several times, but never during an actual emergency.  Up until now, there had been occasional drills, and a few times, she'd merely gone off exploring on her own.  But she knew to keep going until either Jean or Professor X telepathically contacted her or one of the other older kids.

Thankfully, all the kids had paid attention during the drills, and while many were scared, they all knew that following her and Kitty was the best thing they could do at the moment.

It wasn't until they reached the open air several miles outside the mansion that Jubilee realized something.

"Crap!  We forgot Nate!"

Kitty stared at her.  "Of course!  He wouldn't have heard the alarms; he was sleeping like a dead man…"

"Don't SAY that!" Marie snapped at once, glowering at her.

"Sorry!  But nothing could wake him.  And we didn't have time to look for everyone, that…thing came out of nowhere and just-"

"He's fine," Wanda said at once, brushing past them.  "I can tell.  Keep moving."

"We're just gonna leave him?" Jubilee asked uncertainly.

"Musty's still there.  He'll look out for Nate."  Wanda glanced back at all of them.  "Unless one of you wants to go back alone?"

"…Musty is very capable," Marie muttered, going red in the face.

Wanda smirked.  "I thought you'd see it my way.  Trust me, Nate's fine."

"But you, Wanda Maximoff, are most certainly not."

The girls looked up to see a man in a trench coat standing atop the large drainage pipe they'd emerged from.

"Greetings, children.  I have been hired merely for extraction.  Assuming Ms. Maximoff cooperates, there will be no need to exterminate any of you."

"Oh, great," Wanda sighed.  "Another macho pig that assumes just because I'm a girl, I'm automatically defenseless."

The man's red eyes blazed.  "Quite the opposite, Ms. Maximoff.  Your father has informed me just how dangerous you are.  I was merely hoping you would be more considerate of your companions."

The words were barely out of his mouth when Kitty dropped to her knees, make a gagging sound deep in her throat as she went into convulsions.

"What did you do to her, you freak?!" Jubilee shouted.

"The very same that I will do to you, if Wanda insists on causing further difficulty.  For I am Omega Red, and patience is NOT my strong point."

Wanda bit her lip.  "Guys, back off."

Marie whirled on her.  "You're not actually thinking of going with him?!"

"He's a mutant and he knows my father.  Of COURSE I'm going with him.  Unless you happen to know exactly how to fix what he's doing to Kitty."

Marie shut her mouth and frowned.

"A wise decision, Wanda."  What looked like a silver tentacle of steel tore from his coat, wrapped around Wanda's waist, and yanked her up to his side.

"Now undo whatever you did to Kitty!" Jubilee ordered.

Omega Red arched an eyebrow.  "You have misunderstood.  I said there would be no need to exterminate you all.  I never said that I wouldn't do it out of sheer pleasure."  Three more tentacles emerged from his coat, and a maniacal smile appeared on his lips.

"Enough, Arkady," said a voice behind him.  "We never agreed that you could drain or harm the children."

Wanda's head whipped around.  "PIETRO!" she screamed in rage, struggling against the tight coils around her.  "When I get my hands on you!!!"

"You won't," Pietro replied simply.  He glanced down at the girls, and then nodded at Kitty.  "Take that one and leave the others.  Kill no one."

With a scowl, Omega Red sent out a tentacle to scoop up Kitty.

"I suggest you do whatever you have to in order to keep that girl alive, Arkady.  My father might still have some use for her."

"You won't get away with this," Wanda swore.

"We already have, dear sibling," Pietro replied with a grin.  "Have I mentioned how wonderful it is to see you again, Wanda?"

"Go to hell," she spat.

"Not yet," Pietro replied mysteriously.  "Not just yet…"

* * * * *

"They are coming, child," Lilandra said.

Ray's eyes lit up.  Sure enough, she could see the bright blue bubble that was so like Franklin's remaining eye in color.  She waved excitedly, but stopped when she realized that there were four people instead of two.

Franklin and Illyana stood in plain view, but behind them lurked Deathbird and Mikhail.

Ray eyed them mistrustfully.  "Why'd you bring them, Frankie?"

"Mikhail can still be helped," Franklin replied.  "And I don't think we have anything more to fear from Deathbird.  She seems to genuinely care about him."

Ray looked hesitant, but finally nodded.  "Okay.  Well, join your bubble with mine and we'll leave."

Franklin did not reply, but brought his bubble closer in silence.  Illyana stepped over first, and once she had, the bubble split off again.

Ray blinked in surprise.  "Frankie, what are you doing?  Stop messing around!"

"I'm not going with you," Franklin said quietly.  "Mikhail is tied to The Hill, and he cannot leave it.  I can separate him from it, eventually.  But it will take time.  Most likely years, at the least.  This will require some very delicate surgery.  His heart is sealed within solid tree bark.  Currently, I lack the proper medical knowledge.  Deathbird has experience with…organs…and I will need her help.  We three will remain until he is able to safely exit The Hill."

"You knew," Ray said accusingly, her eyes wet with tears.  "You knew this would happen!"

"I suspected."  Franklin raised his head and looked into her eyes.  "Take the others home, Ray."

"You know I can't find my home without you, though!  How am I supposed to-"

"Ray."  Franklin swallowed noisily.  "I hoped I would never need to tell you.  I wanted you to have hope, but…your home is gone.  The one you knew, anyway.  I've been monitoring your world through the time stream.  If you were to return, you would be enslaved, just as you were here.  There is no one waiting for you there.  Your family…did not survive."

Ray's bottom lip trembled, but she did not cry.  "Then…was it…?"

"Apocalypse and his Hounds," Franklin confirmed.  "I'm sorry."

"How long did you know?"

"They took over the day Proteus first arrived here.  Your family…shortly after that."

"Was…was it quick?"

"No."

Ray closed her eyes tightly.  "You tell me that…and you expect me to just leave?  Without you?"

"We will meet again," Franklin promised.  "When I am done here, I will return to you.  Until then, you must go home with Illyana.  There is someone there who will understand your pain.  Someone who hates Apocalypse just as much as you do.  Someone who has lost everything they knew…just as you have."

"But it's not my home," Ray whispered.

"No.  But it can be, if you give it time."  He nodded, almost to himself.  "Between you and Illyana, you have enough memory of where each person should return to.  Take them home, as we promised, and then Illyana will guide you back to her world.  If you need help getting through…you will have it."

"What do you mean…?"

"Goodbye, Ray," Franklin whispered, raising his hand in farewell.  "I will remember you always."

"Frankie…I lo-"

There was a sound not unlike a sonic boom, and then Ray's bubble was racing away from the other, guided by a telekinetic push.  For a long time, Ray would wonder if she had pushed off, or if Franklin had done it himself.  All she knew was that she would not get to tell him how she felt until the next time they met.

"Are you okay?" Illyana asked quietly.

Ray noticed for the first time that Illyana was not quite herself.  "Nice hooves."

Illyana blushed.  "Thanks, I think.  It's only temporary, supposedly."

"Well."  Ray wiped at her face and put on a brave smile.  "Let's get started!"

Illyana touched her friend's shoulder.  "Ray…if you-"

"We should do this fast," Ray interrupted.  "I want to see what your world is like.  Anyway, I have to pee."

With a faint smile, Illyana nodded.  "Okay.  Let's do it, then."

* * * * *

Nate was in the midst of some prophetic dreams, which was perhaps newer to a telepath of his caliber than it should have been.  All the same, he could tell that the coming days would not be peaceful ones.

…a man in red and black, breaking into Magneto's plastic prison, killing each and every guard, and walking out with the Master of Magnetism right behind him…

…Kitty and Wanda being held prisoner by a terror that call itself Omega Red, who in turn was held in check by Pietro, Wanda's own estranged brother, …

…new mutants gathering and joining Magneto's fold, misguided as ever, but stronger in their unity…

…Magneto ushering in a terror the likes of which the world had never seen before…

…a gifted young boy with the mind of a much older man, working tirelessly over the body of Mikhail Rasputin.  Suddenly, though, the boy raised his head, and the energies roiling beneath his very skin were too much to behold, you could only look away, or be blinded by the immense brightness…

"Only the power within you can save this world now, Nate Grey.  Awake, and be reborn, before it is too late to act."

The speaker was not one, but two different boys.  The first had no doubt been the one surrounded in light.  But the second was younger, smaller, and so much like Nate in appearance that it disturbed him.  Even as he watched, something like alien metal crawled up the boy's arm, coating it and possessing it.

"My time is nearly over," the boy whispered, grimacing in pain.  "But you can do what I could not.  Guard Ray's life with your own—only I'm not sure why—just that you have to, for both our sakes…"

"The link will collapse soon, Master Dayspring," said the white-garbed android beside him, "and you cannot continue communication with this person.  He and your psi-signatures are far too much alike, and your young mind cannot handle the strain."

"It doesn't matter," the boy muttered.  "I was only meant to pass on the message.  You are stronger, Nate Grey, because you have the strength that I would never live to possess…"

Nate's eyes snapped open at once, and nearly all recollection of his dreams instantly faded.  There was, however, only one thing he was certain of at the moment.

"Don't worry, Yana.  I'm gonna bring you home."

~~~~~~~

Reviews!

Jeanne Marie

I always intended for Frankie & Ray to make a good team. Glad you like. Synch? Um...no. If you mean the kid with the metal finger, waaaay off. My fault for not being descriptive of his skin color (nothing like Ev's). No, that boy (and his teleporting android in white, which I thought might be a hint) is an alternate version of two other people in Marvel...or the alternate version of one person that has another version of himself (not to mention an evil clone) running around. Um...now I'm confusing you, I bet. Let's just say he's not quite Stryfe and leave it at that. 

Though, if you meant Ernie, wrong again.  You know who he is now.

But thanks for playing!!! ^_^

Amanda

Thanks! The thing you must understand is that alternate universes play havok (pun intended) with relations. So, it is both perfectly reasonable and unreasonable to say that Phoenix II (Rachel) is the daughter of Phoenix (Jean Grey). Why? Rachel is from another universe. Meanwhile, Jean has so far lived her life with no knowledge of such a child. While it is true that Rachel is the daughter of *A* Jean Grey (an alternate version of her) and they both possess the Phoenix Force (or at least telepathy & telekinesis), the fact remains that it would be terribly rude for Rachel to just barge in on another Scott & Jean, claiming that she is their daughter and that now they have to feed & clothe her. 

Nate is from AOA, Scott & Jean are from the present, and Ray is from another place entirely. How they interact and what responsibilities they decide to shoulder is totally up to them. Also keep in mind that Ray has had prolonged exposure to Franklin, (who is no stranger to alternate universes himself) and that he will impact who she does or doesn't trust or consider family.

For those of you who want to guess, there are still…hmm…two more "unidentified" characters (one of them being the man with the red and black mask that frees Magneto) lurking within the story…


	15. The New Girl

Note: In case you didn't notice, the plot is shifting.  Sorry for the HUGE gap between updates.  Yes, the chapter title is borrowed from one of my other X-Men related stories…sorta. (cheap shameless plug)

Chapter 16: The New Girl

Professor Xavier had just been about to call the escaping students back to the mansion when he felt the ripple.  The psychic plane was much like a lake in the respect.  When something big happened, every major psychic felt it.  Normally, depending on the location of the incident, it might take a few minutes to reach anyone else.  The fact that Xavier was notified of this event so quickly told him that it was close.  Too close.  As in on-campus.

Before he could begin to search the plane for the disturbance, the source was revealed to him.

"Hey, Prof," Remy murmured from the window.  "I t'ink you wanna see dis."

It was Nate, of course.  Well, not totally.  It was that Other Nate, the one Wanda has sensed days before.  The one that had frightened and worried her.  His reappearance could mean nothing good…or so Xavier thought.  And the difference between this Nate and the one he'd grown accustomed to was enormous.  Nate was a psi of the first order, but even he handled his power with some subtlety while he wasn't using it.  The person currently walking across the front lawn was making no such attempts to conceal his power, and the backlash was giving Xavier a serious headache.

Through the painful haze, Xavier realized something else: Remy was no telepath, yet even he had noticed the change.  The professor looked again, and he saw it, too.  Nate's left eye was all but hidden behind a glaring orb of gold.  The orb seemed to be leaking excess power in every direction, as if it could no longer contain the incredible energies stored within it.  Xavier suspected that was truer than he wanted it to be.

The entity within Nate's body stopped suddenly, raised its hands, and plunged them into thin air.  And this was not a valid description, because while his hands clearly vanished into something, it was definitely not thin air.  It took Xavier a long moment to realize what he was seeing: Nate had breached the very fabric between realities.  His eyes merely insisted that Nate had reached into some floating pools of violet, but even those shouldn't have been there.

Seconds later, Nate yanked his hands back through.  Along with them, however, came Illyana and another small girl that Xavier couldn't identify.  The important thing, however, was that as soon as they touched the ground, the Other Nate vanished, leaving only the memory of what Xavier and Remy had seen to prove he was ever there.

Xavier sighed and raised a hand to his forehead.  "Students, this is Professor Xavier.  If you are able, please return to the mansion.  It is safe now.  If you are unable, please tell me so at once."

Jubilee's voice came back to him at once, dripping with anxiety.  "Um…Prof?  We got a problem here."

"What is it, child?  Is anyone hurt?"

"I…I don't know.  I mean, we're all okay, but…this guy was waiting for us at the end of the tunnel, and…he took Wanda and Kitty…"

"He called himself Omega Red," Marie added.  "Do you know that name, Professor?"

"I do not…nor can I sense his movement, for some reason.  Did he say anything else?"

"He's working for Magneto," Jubilee replied hesitantly.  "And this guy was with him…Wanda's brother, I think."

"Pietro," Xavier said at once.  "I thought he was abroad.  It seems Magneto's accomplices have been escaping my notice as of late."

"When's the last time you checked on Magneto himself?" Jubilee asked.

Xavier focused his mind on where Magneto should've been…only to find that he was no longer there.  "I fear this attack was merely a distraction.  Magneto is no longer in his cell."

Ray was not quite sure what had happened.  Illyana had been trying to explain exactly how she had been brought to The Hill, in hopes that it would aid Ray in finding her (well, their, now) rightful homeworld.  The problem was that her description of bright lights, weird noise, and hugging her teddy bear didn't help all that much. 

Against her better judgment, Ray had been about to try what Franklin had jokingly called "wishing upon her head."  The process involved nothing more than desiring something so much that her own subconscious grasped control of her powers and made the wish a reality.  Franklin was much better at it, and where he could usually create exactly what he wanted, Ray's results tended to be random and varied at best.  She could very well have accidentally delivered herself and Illyana right into Apocalypse's hands, back on her world, if she wasn't careful.

Before she could even attempt such a risk, someone grabbed the back of her shirt and yanked hard.  At first, Ray assumed Illyana was playing a joke on her.  But then she glanced over to see that a hand had also grabbed Illyana's overall straps and was pulling her as well.

Without warning, they had suddenly landed in soft grass.  Ray was glad of that much; it had been a long time since she'd seen and smelled real grass.  She had been a prisoner of The Hill for far too long, and grieved that Franklin wasn't by her side to share the experience.

Illyana was clearly not of the same mind, as she let out a happy squeal after getting a good look at their surroundings.  But Ray quickly realized it was not their surroundings that pleased Illyana, but the person that was standing behind them with a confused look on his face.

"This isn't my room…" the young man said slowly, just before Illyana tackled him to the ground.

Ray stopped paying attention to them at that point.  If Illyana knew the boy, then they were most likely in the right place.  She sighed in something like relief and glanced around.  The building she spotted was unfamiliar, as was everything else her gaze landed on.  She hadn't really expected their two worlds to be anything alike, but even a slight touch of home would've been nice, especially considering she could never go back.

"…and there was this guy what could blow himself up!" Illyana chattered on to the boy, who seemed to be listening and mentally checking her for bruises at the same time.  Ray admired the way his thoughts slid smoothly around hers like water, not interrupting them at all, merely embracing and absorbing.  She remembered having that close connection with Franklin…when time had allowed it, anyway.

It was probably Ray's own fault for not getting a good look at the boy.  She was too busy extending her consciousness outward into this new world, testing boundaries.  At once, she found two extremely powerful telepaths, and was startled when she realized that they were both very close to her location.  Her surprise came to an abrupt end when she sensed that Illyana's attention had finally returned to her.

"And THIS is my new friend!" Illyana said, grabbing Ray's hand and pulling her up.  "Ray, I want you to meet someone!"

For Illyana's sake, Ray decided she would be polite.  Really, all she wanted at the moment was food and a bed, possibly a bath later on.  But it was unlikely she'd get any of these without having to go through someone, so she would be nice for now.  However, any plans to act any sort of way faded when she turned and came face-to-face with Illyana's friend.

It was clear from his curious expression that he had no idea who she was…and that probably hurt more than anything else.  He extended his hand for her to shake and offered a hopeful smile, not realizing the impact he was having on her.  "Nice to meet you, Ray.  I'm-"

"Nathan," Ray whispered at once.

He blinked a few times.  "Close.  Very close, really.  Actually my birth name was Nathaniel, but I don't use that for personal reasons.  Nate is what I call myself."

"No.  Your name is Nathan," she insisted, her eyes growing damp.  "You're allergic to artichokes, you hate it when people call you short for your age, and your favorite color is fuchsia."

"I…um…what?" Nate asked softly.  "I'm not allergic to anything, I hate it when people lie for 'good' reasons, and my favorite color is…uh…blue, I guess.  But why do you think-"

"NO!" Ray cried, her voice trembling.  "You HAVE to be him!  He's all I have left!"  She sank to her knees, staring up at him hopelessly.  "You have to be Nathan…you have to be my baby brother…"  Choking back a sob, she buried her face in her hands and began to wail.

Nate flinched as if he'd been struck, and he had, for the same instinct with which Ray had initially and desperately clung to him was the same that shoved him back at his refusal to be matched up with her memories.  It was not a hard blow so much as it was a strong one, far too strong for any girl her age to possess.  At any rate, he found himself several feet away and flat on his back a moment later.

Suddenly, the incredible force was gone, and Nate looked up to see Ray sobbing her heart out on Illyana's shoulder.  Warily, he sat up and stayed where he was.  "Yana?  Did I…do something wrong?" he ventured.

Illyana shrugged helplessly as she stroked Ray's fiery hair.  "I guess you remind her of her little brother.  See, she's an orphan like you…only she just found out a few hours ago.  She's not over it yet."

"Well…can you tell her I'm sorry when she calms down?  And that she can hit me again if it makes her feel better?"

Illyana stared at him. "Why would you want her to hit you?  And how would that make her feel better?"

Nate sighed.  "Sometimes, Yana, it's the only thing that can.  Trust me."

"You know, this was WAY easier than I thought it would be."

Erik Lensherr slowly opened his eyes and sighed.  "Meaning what?"  The man across from him had barely stopped talking for more than two minutes, and clearly could not understand that people with headaches did not wish to talk.

"I was expecting missiles to come flying after us," the mercenary explained, constantly licking his Popsicle.  "I didn't even get to use my anti-air assault weapons.  They're new, and I haven't broken them in prop-"

"Mr. Wilson," Lensherr said softly but firmly.  "I am in pain.  Do not force me to make you share in that.  If you have something important to say, then do so before I am tempted to make your fool head explode."

"Fine, be that way.  First, where's the rest of my payment?  Second, how much longer are you going to need me?  Third, how does Master of Mercenaries grab you?"

The older man closed his eyes again.  "When we have arrived at the agreed upon location, I will give you the last known whereabouts of your missing person.  At that time, I will immediately decide whether I will need further use of your services."

"That's great, but you didn't really answer the last-"

"I am the Master of Magnetism, Mr. Wilson.  You are the Merc with a Mouth.  Might I suggest you be content with that?  One of us should be, at least."

With a grunt, the man known as Deadpool leaned back in his seat and stared out of the helicopter window.  "Everybody's so damned anti-social these days.  Can't even hold a decent conversation anymore."  Suddenly inspired, he peered into the front of the chopper.  "Hey, Kermit!  Are we there yet?  Are we there yet?  Are we-"

A pistol was shoved into his face.  "You're lucky Magneto thinks you're worth keeping around," Toad snapped.

"I'll have you know that pea shooter could only give me a nosebleed at best.  Not to mention I could break your arm in twenty places before you fired.  Fifteen, if I didn't shove it up your butt afterwards."

"And your point is what, exactly?"

"Both of us can fight.  My mutant power allows me to get run over more than roadkill.  Yours virtually makes you a living booger, and then there's the questionable odor.  In short, I don't think this is a fight you can win.  Now, either you be sociable, or I'm gonna come up there and SIT with you.  And I don't think either of us really wants that."

The entire school was in disrepair, in every sense of the word.  Rooms had to be cleaned, holes in the yard had to be filled in, and various students and staff had to be patched up.  Very few were happy to see that the mutant that had been responsible for the destruction—Hemingway—was chiefly the one repairing it.  Logan, who was watching him like a hawk, supervised all of the reconstruction.  Marrow stuck around for moral support, and Nate assisted because he was the only telekinetic in any shape to do so.

The safe return of Illyana, most amazingly, took a back seat in importance, thanks to her mysterious new friend.  Everyone wanted to know who Ray was, where she came from, and what her powers were.  The only ones (other than Illyana and Nate) that actually knew were Professor Xavier and Dr. Grey (for safety reasons), and none of them were talking.

Ray didn't help matters at all by being terribly elusive.  She wouldn't talk to anyone other than Illyana, and holed herself up in the infirmary with Piotr, whose arm healed at a remarkable rate.  Even so, Piotr stayed there a few extra days, sensing that Ray did not wish to interact with the other students.  He made her many sketches of various things, which she seemed to enjoy only half the time.  When it was obvious that Piotr was no longer injured, he offered her what little space remained in his already crowded dorm room.  Ray had no problem sharing with him and Marrow, but when she discovered that Nate also stayed there, she immediately refused the offer and insisted on sleeping with Illyana and Jubilee.

If Nate was bothered by Ray's avoidance, he didn't show it.  He was far too busy putting things back in order the first few days.  Also, the news of Wanda and Kitty's kidnapping had kept him in a constant state of alarm, and it was generally agreed upon that he could snap at any given moment. 

Perhaps the oddest thing was Ray's powers.  By the second day, it was obvious that she was telekinetic.  When she was upset (which she nearly always was), things tended to fly around and into people that got too close.  She made the clean-up crew's job much harder, until Illyana got her to calm down a bit.  Ray generally used her telepathy to communicate, but would only speak to her roommates, Piotr, and Marrow, whose bone growths she found terribly intriguing.

It was finally Jubilee who decided to do something about the tension between Nate and Ray.  She dragged them both up to her room, along with Piotr and Illyana one night.

"Look.  You two are the only ones in this room who aren't friends, and I want to know why!"

The two stared at each other uneasily for a long moment, before Nate finally said sincerely, "I'm sorry I'm not your brother, Ray."

The girl's lip began to tremble, but she looked away before tears could fall.  "It's not your fault."

"Then why do you act like it is?!" Jubilee demanded.

"You don't understand!  None of you do!" Ray cried.  "He's not my brother…but he IS!  He looks JUST like Nathan would've, except for a few differences.  It's like looking into the future!"

"She's right," Nate said at once.  "I dreamed about him the day Ray came here…at least, I think I did.  I'd say we were all related if I met them on the street."

Ray's eyes lit up.  "You had a sister?" she guessed.

Nate shrugged.  "Not that I know of.  I grew up alone."

Her eyes dimmed and she lowered her head.  "Oh…"

"I never knew a family, but I know what it's like to lose your whole world."  Nate reached over and squeezed her hand.  "For what it's worth, I'm sorry.  I made a promise to your brother—and to Franklin—that I'd do my best to take care of you.  But I can't help you if you won't let me."

Ray looked up hopefully at the mention of Franklin.  "You mean it?  You'll love me and protect me like I was your sister?  But…why would you do that?"

"I seem to keep adopting people that come here.  You probably won't be the last, but you're the only one that could pass for a relative.  If anyone asks, we can say you're my long lost sister from Albuquerque."

"Why there?" Illyana asked.

Nate grinned.  "When's the last time you met somebody from there?"

"…I don't think I ever have," Jubilee admitted.

"Well, there you go."  Nate picked up Ray and sat her on his shoulders.  "Now, if you'll excuse us, I've got maybe five years of brotherly love to express in three hours.  We'll see you guys later."

"What do I do?" Ray asked helplessly.

"Duck!" Illyana called as Ray's head just missed the doorframe.  "I think they both need practice at being siblings."

"It does not come so naturally to all, snowflake," Piotr confirmed, watching the pair go with some hesitation.

Wanda passed time by trying to glare a hole in the back of her brother's head.  Ironically, if the manacles she wore didn't block her powers, she knew doing so just might be possible.  But in her heart, she didn't really want to kill Pietro.  Oh, she wanted to hurt him badly, but not kill him.  She suspected he felt much the same way.  Either that, or he was doing an incredible job of hiding it, for her and their father's sake.  The thought of Pietro being in league with Magneto made Wanda so sick that she wanted to vomit, but she knew it was true.  Pietro simply did not have the connections to hook up with a mutant like Omega Red on his own.

Possibly the only comfort was that Kitty had finally stopped that horrible rasping sound, as if she might be in danger of somehow choking on her own saliva.  She had even been frothing at the mouth when Omega Red had first carried them into the warehouse, but now she seemed to merely be in a deep sleep.  Whatever Omega Red had done to her before, he had apparently fixed it, as Pietro had ordered him to.  So for the moment, at least, Wanda knew she and Kitty weren't about to die any time soon.  If Magneto was going to kill them, he would at least wait until he was there in person, so he'd have the chance to gloat.  He'd been trying to control Wanda all his life, and for the moment, he had succeeded.  Wanda had no intention of letting Kitty get hurt, so she would have to do whatever Magneto wanted.  He wouldn't have bothered to go to the trouble of capturing her if he didn't want something only she could give him.

There was one thing Wanda didn't understand, though.  Along with Pietro and Omega Red, there was a third mutant present in the warehouse.  Like Omega Red, he was tall, muscular, and his skin was as white as snow, especially atop his bald head.  But that was where the similarities ended.  Where Omega Red was something out of a nightmare, this mutant seemed more like a kindly hunchback that you might expect to help a complete stranger.  The really odd thing was, the more Wanda stared at him, the more she became convinced that she knew his name.

"Cal," she whispered softly, so that only he would hear her.  "Oh, Cal, that's not you in there, is it?"

He did not need to reply.  Wanda's fears were confirmed by the way he averted his eyes and hung his head in shame.

"Cal, why?  What happened to you?  Why are you helping them do this?  You used to be so sweet and gentle…"

"Caliban is still all of those things, Sister-Wanda," he murmured.  "But Caliban is also owing Master-Magneto too much not to help him."

"What could he possibly have done for you?"

"Caliban was weak, close to dying.  Master-Magneto made Caliban stronger.  Make it easier for Caliban to find mutants, all over the world.  Caliban just want to help them, Sister-Wanda.  Master-Magneto knows a way to help them all.  He help you, too."

Wanda smirked.  "I don't want his kind of help, Cal.  And you don't either, even if you can't see it yet."

Caliban shook his head.  "Sister-Wanda not understand.  Master-Magneto only wants his family back together.  He has even invited Caliban to be part of it."

"Cal, you were always family to me.  You don't need to do whatever he's told you to do.  You could come live with me, back at Xavier's.  Sarah and Ernie are there.  So is Remy.  Your friends, remember?"

"Caliban remembers.  But Master-Magneto said to wait here, so Caliban must."

Wanda sighed and closed her eyes.  Caliban had always had a simple mind, and Magneto's influence obviously ran too deep to sway him.  She only hoped that she wouldn't be there when all his faith in Magneto was destroyed.

Ray flopped across her bed in the room she now shared with Illyana and Jubilee, thoroughly exhausted.  She had not expected Nate to want to do so very many things with her, perhaps because she thought he might still be uneasy around her.  But he had obviously been very serious about them bonding, because they'd spent the entire week together, doing nothing but whatever she wanted to do at any given moment. 

Ray was not sure why Nate seemed to be the only student excused from his classes, but she suspected it had something to do with the incredible psychic power she sensed within him.  She was secretly hoping that her own massive psi-talents would also keep her out of class, but that remained to be seen.  Professor Xavier had been very busy lately with the school's restoration and other matters, but he didn't seem like the type to forget very many things.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she sensed Nate approaching, so she opened the door with a wave of her hand before he could knock.

"Um…neat," Nate murmured.  "I just thought I'd come see if you were asleep yet.  Illyana worried when you didn't come down for dinner."

"I'm not really hungry," Ray replied, closing her eyes.  "I think I'll just go straight to bed in a while."

"Well…there is another reason I wanted to see you," Nate admitted, sitting down on the floor and leaning against the bed.  He hesitated for a long moment.  "On second thought, it can wait."

Ray frowned as he started to rise and reached out with her mind, forcibly pushing him back down.  "You wouldn't have come if you didn't want to say it now, Nate.  Just ask me."

Nate gave her a look, still not quite used to someone stronger than him being around, and certainly not telling him what to do.  But Ray was still very young, and probably didn't even realize how powerful she truly was.  "Okay.  Um…see, I was wondering…if maybe you wanted to…crap.  I had this all planned out, and now I can't even remember how I was going to-"

With a sigh, Ray rolled to the edge of the bed and closed his mouth with her small hand.  "Nate, if you don't stop stalling, I'm going to come in there myself and find out what you want."  It certainly sounded like a threat, but she said it so carelessly that it was hard to take it that way.

"Sorry.  It's just hard to get out."  Nate took a deep breath and began again.  "Ray, I know we haven't known each other that long, but-"  Before he could finish, she closed his mouth again, and he gave her a questioning look.

"Could you do me a favor?" she asked quietly.

"Sure.  What?"

"Don't call me Ray anymore?"  She sighed and looked down.  "It's just…that was Frankie's name for me, and…"

"I understand," Nate replied, squeezing her hand gently.  "But what should I call you, then?"

"My true name is Rachel.  Any other form of that is fine."

"Okay.  Now, like I was saying-"

"You haven't heard from Frankie, have you?" Rachel asked suddenly.  "I mean, since I got here?"

"Um…no.  Why?"

Her face visibly drooped.  "Oh.  I thought maybe he'd ask about me, make sure that I got here safely…"

"I'm sure he just has a lot of faith in you," Nate said, hoping he was right.  "You are pretty capable, from what I've seen."

Rachel blushed a little.  "But that stuff's not really hard to do.  I haven't done anything major yet."

"Well, speaking of things you can do, I was wondering if maybe you'd like to…um…form a psychic link with me?"

Her big green eyes shifted to him curiously.  "That's what you wanted to ask me?"

Nate looked away.  "I'd understand if you didn't want to.  We did just meet, and you don't really know me that well, so I could see why you wouldn't-"

"Why do you want to?" Rachel interrupted.

Nate paused.  "Well…if I'm gonna protect you, it would help a lot.  I mean, I know you're stronger than me, but maybe I know some tricks that you don't.  And I've definitely been in this world longer, so there's things you might not know about that I could help with.  On top of all that, I know I'm not…that is, I can't be…well…"

"What?"

He ducked his head a little.  "This is gonna sound weird, but…I always wanted a little sister.  The first time I saw you, even though I had no idea who you were…I couldn't help thinking that we had so much in common.  Now I know for sure that we do.  Neither of us really…belongs in this world, but if we're going to make the best of it, I thought we could do it together.  You know, help each other out, be there for each other, things like that."

"You trust me enough to do this?" Rachel asked softly.

"It's more a matter of if you trust me enough to do this," Nate reminded her.  "That is what I'm essentially asking, I guess.  But don't worry, if you don't want to, I won't mind at all, so-"

Rachel suddenly leaned forward and placed a soft, slow kiss on his forehead.  "Done," she murmured as she pulled away with a grin.

Nate blinked, instantly aware of the connection she'd made, as well as the one she had with Franklin.  It was, in fact, the only other one she had, and perhaps one of the strongest he'd ever seen.  "Aw, I wanted to do it!  It was supposed to be a gift."

"So you can get me something tomorrow," Rachel replied, hugging his neck.  "There's a certain kind of pajamas I want."

"You saw them when we were in town?" Nate guessed.

She shook her head.  "It's something Frankie suggested to me once.  But I think they'd have to be specially made by another psi.  They're supposedly good for helping telepaths get to sleep at night."

"Really?  Well, I guess I could talk to the Prof about it."

"No," Rachel said at once.  "I know it's his school, but…there's something I don't like about him."

"Rach, I know he's a little strict, but you'll get used to him."

"It's not that.  I don't know what it is.  Just don't tell him.  For me?"

"Well, if you're sure," Nate relented.  "What if I asked Jean?"

"Only if she promises not to mention it to him," Rachel said at last.  "What about the lady with white hair?  She always has on really comfortable-looking clothes."

"You mean Storm?  I guess she would be the one to ask, as far as comfort goes.  But she's not really a psi, so I don't know how much she could help with these special PJs of yours."

"Do you think she'd make some regular ones for me?"

"I don't know that she makes her own clothes, but she probably wouldn't mind telling you where she shops, or even taking you there herself.  We can ask her tomorrow."

"Okay," Rachel replied.  She crawled under her blanket and laid her head against the pillow.  "Night, Nate."

Before Nate could return the sentiment, he sensed that she was already asleep.  Smiling, he carefully brushed the short red hair out of her face.  He considered going back to his room, then decided against it and settled more comfortably against the side of the bed.  Jubilee would poke him awake when she came up, and until then, he wasn't going to leave Rachel's side.   

Piotr had sensed something was wrong even before he and Illyana set foot in Professor Xavier's office.  Rarely did the man have meetings at night with students, so it must've been something he didn't want to chance any other students hearing.  He was even more afraid that it had something to do with Illyana.

Professor X didn't waist time with pleasantries.  He invited them to sit, and then said, "I believe we have a problem."

"This is about my sister?" Piotr guessed, instinctively wrapping one of his huge arms around the girl in his lap.

"I'm afraid so," Professor X replied.  "But not entirely.  It has more to do with the psychic link she currently shares with Nate."

"It's a good thing it was there, huh?" Illyana piped in with a smile.  "We might never have gotten back without it!"

Professor X smiled hesitantly.  "That's one side of it, yes.  But the implications are a bit more serious than that, child.  This link may also cause you considerable harm in the near future."

The smile faded from Illyana's face.  "But…Nate would never hurt me, Professor."

"I'm aware of that.  But I have recently been…made aware of another entity inside Nate.  One that may not have your best interests at heart.  He may even be dangerous."

Piotr frowned.  "Begging your pardon, Professor, but I have seen no proof of this entity even existing."

"I have.  So have Remy and Wanda.  He was, in fact, the one who rescued Illyana and Rachel.  But I am more concerned about the manner in which he accomplished such a feat.  He is insanely powerful, and I have no idea how much influence he has over Nate."

"But he hasn't done anything bad yet, has he?" Illyana insisted.

"Not especially," Professor X admitted hesitantly.  "But there's something else that worries me even more.  Shortly upon your return, child, I began to sense an additional entity within you."

Illyana's face drained of all color.  "What…?"

"I can understand why you didn't tell me about this, but you fail to understand that Nate—or the other him—may have had something to do with it."

She shook her head wildly.  "No!  It was Miko and The Hill!  They were the ones who-!"

"What proof do you have of that, Illyana?" Professor X asked quietly.

"…none, but-!"

"Your loyalty to Nate is admirable, Illyana.  But I cannot continue to guarantee your safety under these conditions.  If this other Nate gained complete control over your friend, then, through your psychic link, he could easily summon and control the other you, as well.  You could both be virtually erased forever.  I cannot allow this."

"What are you suggesting, Professor?" Piotr asked fearfully.

"The immediate termination of the psychic link between Illyana and Nate."

"NO!" Illyana cried, grabbing her head, fearing he might attempt the severing then and there.  "You can't do that!!"

She turned desperately to her brother.  "You won't let him do it, will you, Piotr?!"

Her brother bit his lip.  "Snowflake, you know I love you with all that I am.  But for the first time in my life, I was helpless to do anything to protect you.  If what Professor Xavier says is true, it sounds like even he would be unable to help you, if this came to pass."

"But Nate's stronger than him!" Illyana shouted.  "And Ray's even stronger than Nate!  She wouldn't let anyone hurt me!"

"I am thinking only of your safety, Illyana," Professor Xavier pointed out.  "Suppose something happened to Rachel.  If I could not protect you from this other Nate, who could?  You would be helpless, so long as the link remains."

Before Illyana could open her mouth to say something she wouldn't regret later, there was a bright flash of light.

"I cannot allow this to go on any further," said a strained voice, originating from the light.  "Xavier, I realize you're trying to help, BUT YOU MUST NOT SEVERE THAT LINK."

Illyana stared up at the light in wonder.  The voice was familiar to her, but she couldn't identify the speaker.

"Who are you?" Professor Xavier asked warily. 

"That doesn't matter, and I couldn't tell you, anyway.  What does matter is that you leave that link intact.  Yes, it could endanger Illyana, but I'm telling you that it will also protect her."

"How can you be so sure of this?"

"The other Nate saved Illyana.  Why do you think he did that?"

Professor Xavier opened his mouth, and then closed it.  "I do not know."

"Then isn't it possible that he might care about Illyana—or the one within her—as much as Nate does?"

"I had never entertained that thought."

"Few would.  The point is, nothing bad will happen to Illyana, so long as both Nates are there to protect her."

"How can you know this?" Professor Xavier pressed.

There was a slight chuckle from the light.  "The real question is, how could I not?  Psi-Lord concerns himself with the fate of all his companions."  With that, the light vanished.

Professor Xavier turned slowly to his two students.  "It would appear that the Lord his spoken," he murmured with an odd smile.

Rachel woke up the next morning to find Jubilee leaning over her, apparently just about to wake her.

"Jeez!" Jubilee cried, jumping back.  "Don't do that, kid!"

"Sorry.  Reflex," Rachel replied, sitting up.  "It's hard for me to just lie there when I feel someone coming."

"S'okay, I totally get it," Jubilee said, holding out her cell phone.  "Anyway, you got a phone call."

"Me?" Rachel asked in disbelief.  "But I don't know anybody here…"

"Well, he knows you," Jubilee replied.  "Says it's really important, too.  I think you wanna take this."

Rachel hesitantly took the phone.  "Hello…?"

"I'm not the one you know," a voice said at once.

Despite the message, tears welled up in her eyes.  "Frankie…?"

"Yes and no.  I'm from this world, Rachel.  But I had the weirdest dream last night, and-"

"He told you?" she guessed. 

"Yeah.  About you, among other things.  He wanted to know that you were safe."

"I am," Rachel whispered.

"Good.  Nate's taking good care of you, then?"

"Yes.  He's been really nice."  She paused and bit her lip.  "You don't know…another me, do you?"

"No.  It's odd.  I feel like I should, but…never mind that.  If it wouldn't be too awkward…do you think I could meet you?  In person, or at least see your face somehow?  I think it would make…a world of difference."

"When?!" Rachel asked breathlessly.

"Incidentally, I don't live that far away from your school.  Maybe you could come visit someday.  I'm at…well, I'm sure your teachers have the address.  Be sure to tell them that Franklin Richards asked about you.  The looks on their faces alone should be worth it."

Next Chapter: Wanda is reunited with her father and learns what he wants from her.  Nate, Rachel, and Illyana meet the Franklin Richards of this world…and their alter egos.  Professor X takes steps to rescue Wanda & Kitty…but not before Logan, Rogue, Marrow, Hemingway, and Gambit take matters into their own hands.


	16. The Mirror in Me

Notes: I recall someone asking how Rachel would get along with Scott & Jean.  Well, here's your answer, though it may not please you.  Also, I'm not a big fan of the Fantastic Four, just of Franklin, so my descriptions of Freedoms Four Plaza will be off.  This chapter ran a bit faster than I expected.

Warning: I have a tendency to get carried away when I write Deadpool, though some people would argue that's keeping him in character.  In short, calling Wade Wilson offensive is a compliment, so watch out.

Chapter 16: The Mirror in Me

Rachel had decided that Nate was right; Storm was definitely a fun person to be around.  Even though she talked a lot like the other teachers at Xavier's, she seemed to understand that an actual classroom was the last place that Rachel wanted or needed to be.  She had even allowed Rachel to join in on Illyana's "social therapy" sessions, which now included Nate, Marrow, Ernie, and Musty, for obvious reasons.  Remy and Logan didn't really participate in the sessions, but they always stayed within lurking distance, and no one seemed to mind.

No matter how organized the sessions started out, they always ended up dissolving into games of tag, wrestling matches, and once, when weather (that is, Storm) permitted, an actual rain dance.  Far from being upset about this, Storm insisted that the games actually promoted social skills: working with others, for example.  It was her philosophy that children were much easier to teach if they didn't actually realize that they were learning while they had fun.

But even though Rachel seemed to be adjusting well to her new environment, she still possessed some rather odd habits.  For example, Scott had recently been complaining about his used towels disappearing before he could wash them.  Jubilee discovered them in pile beneath Rachel's bed, but conveniently forgot to mention it to anyone.  Then Jean's favorite hairbrush went missing.  She obviously knew where it was, but opted instead to buy another. 

Scott, however, drew the line when he found Rachel curled up on his pillow one afternoon.  He could hardly be blamed for being paranoid; had Rachel been one of their enemies, she would've had sufficient means to clone both him and Jean by now.

Rather than allow everyone to think she was a kleptomaniac, Rachel was finally forced to admit that Scott and Jean looked (and apparently smelled) an awful lot like her own parents.  The problem, though, was that she had absolutely no intention of being disappointed again, like she first had been with Nate.  So rather than get to know them, she was content with just having the mere smell of them available to her.  This hurt Jean quite a bit, as she'd always wondered what it would be like to have a little girl, and perhaps needed the practice, but she still gave Rachel a bottle of her perfume.  At her urging, Scott eventually gave up some cologne, though he still felt very unnerved by the used towel thefts.

Though all of the windows in the warehouse were boarded up, Wanda estimated a week had passed before the woman arrived.  She certainly had the look of a henchman, dressed in a black, tight-fitting bodysuit with a matching hooded cloak, and a violet mask that concealed everything but her eyes and mouth.  Wanda couldn't figure out what her purpose was, since all she ever seemed to do was check Kitty's pulse every now and then.  But since she had nothing better to do, Wanda figured she'd try to get a little information.

"You never check my pulse," she said as the woman leaned over Kitty again.

The woman didn't look up.  "Because I know Omega Red wouldn't be fool enough to infect you with his death spore."

"You sound so sure of that."

"Despite what you may believe, young lady, your father would be extremely upset if you died."

"How would you know?" Wanda asked.

Finally, the woman looked at her.  "I have known your father for quite some time.  He always struck me as a solitary man who did not wish to be so.  Whether he loves you or not, he values your life."

"How do you know him?"

"Before he started calling himself Magneto, your father once worked closely with the C.I.A.  I met him through…my own government connections.  I suppose you could've called him my mentor, for a time."

"So what are you?  Some kind of secret agent?"

The woman smirked.  "Hardly.  We have both changed a great deal since then, obviously.  You might call me a free agent now."

Wanda frowned.  "So you're an assassin?"

The woman chuckled softly.  "Clever girl."

"But I haven't seen you kill anyone.  So why are you working for my father?"

"Ironically, I was brought in to protect."

"What, he needs bodyguards now?  That doesn't sound like him."

"I never said my job was to protect him," the woman replied.

The good thing about Nate and Rachel, Jean thought to herself as she stepped outside the mansion, was that they were never hard to find at all.  Though, if either one of them ever really bothered to hide, even Cerebro would've been hard-pressed to find them.  Rachel sometimes went out of her way to avoid Jean, but had yet to take up becoming a "gray spot" (no pun intended) on the psychic plane, as Nate sometimes did when he was feeling particularly solitary, in order to avoid detection.

Today, however, Jean was hoping that bringing the two some good news would keep them from making excuses and running away at the sight of her.  Nate had eased up considerably around her in the past few weeks, but now that he felt obligated to protect Rachel, he'd run if she wanted to.

She found the pair in the gazebo, along with Piotr, Illyana, and Storm.  Nate was sitting opposite the other three, with Rachel in his lap.  As Jean got closer, she could tell they were posing for Piotr, who was working diligently on another of his drawings.  Ororo and Illyana were watching in silence, awed but unwilling to break Piotr's concentration.

Though Jean stopped a few yards away, she couldn't help the anxiety she felt when Rachel's gaze shifted almost imperceptibly to her, and then back to Piotr again.  If Nate sensed her presence, he probably ignored it for the sake of the picture.

"Done," Piotr murmured after a few more minutes.  "Come and tell me if it meets your approval, my friends."

Nate relaxed visibly as he stood up, tucking Rachel under one arm.  But Rachel's eyes strayed nervously back to Jean, who hadn't moved.

As if she sensed the change in Rachel's mood, Storm finally turned and saw her fellow teacher.  Smiling, she turned away, but still beckoned Jean closer with a small wave of her hand.

"It looks just like them, Piotr," Illyana said in a hushed tone of wonder.

"No complaints here," Nate agreed, clapping his roommate on the shoulder.  "What do you think, Rach?"

"Jean's been standing there for a while," Rachel said suddenly.

"Hmm?"  Nate turned and had the decency to look startled.  "Oh.  Didn't see you there."

"Somehow I doubt that," Jean replied with a warm smile. 

"Illyana," Storm said quietly, "would you like to help me find a proper place for your brother's latest work?"

Naturally, Illyana nodded at once, and practically dragged Storm away.  Piotr followed them, mostly because he knew exactly why Storm had diverted his sister's attention.

"I have some good news for both of you," Jean offered.  "The Professor thinks that your visiting with Franklin Richards is a good idea.  He also thinks Illyana and Piotr should go with you."

"We were thinking of asking them to come along," Nate admitted, squeezing Rachel's shoulder.

"All the Professor asks is that two chaperones go with you.  I have no doubt that Illyana will choose Ororo."

"Can Jubilee be mine?" Rachel asked, even though she knew it was pointless.

"No, the Professor wants you to choose a teacher.  Mr. Logan, for example."

Nate hid his smirk.  Jean knew perfectly well that Logan did not like being treated like a babysitter.

"I don't know," Rachel said after a long moment.

Jean took a deep breath.  "Well," she added hesitantly, "I know we haven't really gotten a chance to know each other, but I was sort of hoping that I could be the second chaperone."

Rachel looked shocked.  "You?" 

She nodded.  "You wouldn't have to speak to me at all, if you didn't want to.  I'd only be there in case something happened."

At once, Rachel opened her mouth, probably to say that was part of why she wanted Nate with her, but she closed it rather quickly.  Jean wasn't sure why, until she noticed that Nate was whistling innocently under his breath and looking in the other direction.

"I can understand if you don't want to be around me, Rachel," Jean said softly.  "All I'm asking for is one chance, for just half a day, to be near you.  That's it.  After that, you can run from me all you want."

"Can I think about it for a while?" Rachel asked quietly.

"Of course.  Just let the Professor know when you've made your choice."  With that, Jean left them alone in the gazebo.

"Do you think she's mad at me?" Rachel asked.

"I think she's sad at you," Nate replied.

"I don't get it.  Why?"

"She can't help it, Rach.  When you told her she reminded you of her mother, she felt responsible for you.  Plus, people around here wanna take care of you, just because you're a little guy."

"But I'm older than I look!"

"Well, WE know that, but nobody else does.  So people are gonna keep treating you like a little guy, because that's what they see."

"So you think I should let her come?"

"I think it would mean a lot to her if you did.  Besides, when you get right down to, look at the alternate choices.  You've got Mr. Summers and Mr. Logan.  Who would you rather be seen with in public?"

"Ms. Munroe, did Wanda and Kitty leave while I was gone?"

Storm came to an abrupt stop, looking down to see Illyana staring up at her with wide, concerned eyes.  "Illyana, has no one told you what happened?"

"Well, they all looked so busy lately, and nobody said anything.  I thought maybe she left.  Jubilee told me that somebody wrecked the school, but that's it."

She could understand why the Professor wouldn't want rumors to start flying around, but she would've thought that someone had come up with a cover story, at the very least.  But just the fact that Illyana's own roommate had witnessed the kidnapping would make that impossible.  She was also glad that Jubilee had provided some information, and left out the rest.

"There is no delicate way to say this, exactly," Storm explained.  "Illyana, I'm afraid that Wanda and Kitty were taken from the school, against their will."

Illyana frowned, but did not look quite as upset as Storm had expected.  "By who?"

"We know that Wanda's brother was involved."

"Is it Magneto again?"

Storm frowned this time.  "How did you find out about-"

"Wanda told me.  She wanted me to have my facts straight before someone lied about her Dad.  She said any bad stuff I heard was probably still true, though.  Remy told me what happened to Marie, too."

With a sigh, Storm shook her head.  Students would be students, though.  "I don't want you to worry, Illyana.  We will do everything in our power to get them back safely."

"I know," Illyana replied.  "I just hope Wanda's Dad isn't sick in the head like Miko was…"

Wanda woke up as she felt huge, cool hands sliding over her wrists.  Her head snapped up to see the hulking form of Caliban detaching her manacles from the wall.  "Have you finally come to your senses, Cal?"

Caliban did not meet her gaze.  "Master-Magneto wishes to see you and your friend, Sister-Wanda."

Sure enough, Wanda could also see the woman she'd spoken with earlier carefully pulling Kitty down.  Though she was looking much better, Kitty still seemed to need some help standing on her own.

"You're making a big mistake, Cal," Wanda muttered as he guided her deeper into the warehouse.

"Master-Magneto will not harm you.  He only wishes to reunite his family."

"Yeah, well, I didn't see Pietro wearing any chains!"

Caliban frowned and lowered his voice.  "Caliban senses much anger in your heart, Sister-Wanda.  Master-Magneto feared you would attack him and refuse to listen."

"I'm more worried about him attacking us," Kitty murmured.  "After what he did to Marie, she still wakes up in a cold sweat some nights."

"Well, I would advise against trying to use your powers to escape," the woman said.  "If I understand the function of these chains correctly, your persistence would only be rewarded with a strong electric shock."

"Oh, is that all?" Wanda half-chuckled with a smirk.  "No wonder everyone hates family reunions."

"You don't think there's even the slightest chance he might not hurt us?" Kitty whispered.  "Maybe he's reformed…well…into a good guy.  Um…not as bad as he was before, I mean.  Maybe?"

"He won't hurt you," Wanda admitted.  "If that psycho octopus guy hadn't gotten excited, you wouldn't even be here.  Me, on the other hand…let's just say we've got serious issues."

"But Nate and the others will come before anything bad happens, right?"

Wanda bit her lip.  "Magneto probably has this whole place shielded.  Even Nate couldn't get a lock on us, I'd bet.  I think we're on our own, for now.  But look on the bright side.  At least he seems to only have one crazy mutant working for him this time around."

At that moment, they stopped in front of a freight elevator, which slid open to reveal a masked man in a red and black costume.

"Witchy-baby!  Long time no see!"

"Oh, GOD," Wanda groaned.  :"Not YOU again!"

"I love it when I leave a good impression," he chuckled as they all got in.  "So, miss me?"  He draped an arm casually around her shoulders.

"Wilson, all the rules still stand.  No touching, no staring, and absolutely no calling me any pet names!  AND GET YOUR HAND AWAY FROM THERE!!!"

"Aw, what's one grope between lovers like us?" the man asked.  "You can fondle me, if you want."  He turned so that she had a good view of his rear.  "Go on.  You know you want to."

With a wicked grin, Wanda planted her foot on his butt, forcing him into the wall of the elevator.

"OW!"  He spun around, but instead of being angry, he laughed again.  "You remembered that I like it rough!  I knew you couldn't get me outta your system!

"Well, I always said you were contagious, if nothing else," she muttered.

"Aren't you gonna introduce me to your little friend?" he asked, indicating Kitty.  "I mean, she might not care, but I at least like to get the names of participants BEFORE the orgy party starts."

"WHAT?!" Kitty shrieked.  "Wanda, tell me he's kidding!"

Wanda rolled her eyes.  "Oh, he never stops.  Kitty, Wade Wilson; Wade, HANDS OFF!"

"Why?  Is she yours?  Playing for both teams, huh, Wanda?  That's so…so…kinky."

"Couldn't we have taken another elevator?" Kitty asked weakly.

"And pass up a chance to get close to ME?  You'd have to be nuts!  Well, moreso than me.  But not to worry, babycakes.  The Poolboy is at your command."

"Do you think you could maybe choke on your tongue?"

"I don't know.  But maybe you should try choking on it instead.  I mean, you might need the practice.  For the orgy."

"WANDA!!!"

"Dr. Grey?"  I thought about what you said earlier."

Jean looked up from her desk to see Rachel standing in her doorway.  "Oh?  Come in."

Biting her lip, Rachel hesitantly slid in and shut the door.  She was doing her best to mask her anxiety, but if Jean didn't sense it, she would probably see it even easier.  After all, she was both a telepath and a teacher.

"Have you decided on the second chaperone?" Jean asked.

"Well…first, I need to tell you something else."

"I'm listening."

"I…don't have a big problem being around you.  It's just a little weird, cuz you look like my mother.  But…please don't try to be her.  That would only make me feel worse."  Rachel came closer and took Jean's hand in her own.  "I just want you to be you, Dr. Grey, and no one else.  I want you to treat me like you would any other student."

Jean blinked slowly as she took it all in.  "Okay.  I didn't realize that's how you felt, Rachel."

Rachel nodded.  "Um…I'd also like you to be my chaperone when I go to visit Franklin."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah.  Nate says you could probably teach me some things about my powers, since you have the same ones."

Jean blushed a bit.  "Well, I'm nowhere near as powerful as you are, Rachel."

"I know, but I didn't have a whole lot of time to learn about them.  So I bet you'd know lots of stuff that I don't.  And even if you didn't…you'd know what it's like to have these powers, and you could help me adjust to these new surroundings."

"I thought Nate was helping you with that?"

"He is, but…"  Rachel laughed a bit.  "Whenever I wanna talk about girl stuff, he gets nervous and tries to dump me on Jubilee."

Jean smiled at her.  "I suppose I could help you with that.  Are you sure being around me won't be a problem for you?"

"As long as you don't try to replace my mother.  I…I know she's gone now, but I don't ever want to forget her."  She smiled a little.  "But if I happen to start calling you Auntie Jean, you can ask me to stop."

Jean lifted the girl to sit in her lap.  "Somehow, sweetie, I don't think that's going to be a problem."

Wanda was completely unprepared for her father's appearance.  She knew, of course, that she was being taken to him.  But she didn't know that he would've changed so much since the last time they'd encountered each other.  He had actually gotten dressed up, all in white, for the occasion.  She had no way of knowing that these were his prison clothes.  Aside from that, his face seemed to have regained some of its lost youth.  And the smile on his face was not of triumph, as she'd expected, but one of total serenity.

"Hello, Wanda," Magneto said quietly.  With a wave of his hand, the chains on Wanda and Kitty fell off.  "You could use your powers to escape.  But you should realize that I currently have four very excellent mutant trackers in my employ.  You would be caught in a matter of minutes, if even that long."

"He's right," Wanda sighed as Kitty looked to her for confirmation.  "If what Caliban said is true, Dad's improved his ability to track mutants.  And much as I despite my brother, he is super-fast."  She threw a glare at Deadpool.  "Even Wade is in high demand for a reason."

"It's all in the pelvic thrusts, babe," Deadpool replied.

Wanda shook her head and turned to her father.  "So what do you want from me this time?"

Magneto closed the distance between them and placed his hands on Wanda's shoulders.  "I want my daughter back."

"Ah.  So that means you got your hands on a telepath, huh?  Gonna turn me into your perfect little girl, just because you're tired of not being able to control me?"

"There was a time when I wouldn't have hesitated to do such a thing," he admitted softly.  "But I've come to realize that you'll never stop resisting me.  So I've brought you here to make a clean break of it, Wanda.  You perform a single task for me, and I swear that I, Pietro, and anyone I might employ now or in the future, are out of your life for good."

Wanda's eyes narrowed.  "I don't believe you.  You've been after my all my life.  Why would you just give up now?"

"As I said, I want my daughter back."  His eyes locked on hers.  "My firstborn daughter: Anya."

Her eyes widened.  "Dad…she's dead.  She has been for years, even before I was-"

"Tell me something, Wanda," Magneto interrupted, his eyes blazing.  "Is there anything you've never come near to accomplishing with your powers?  Anything at all?"

Wanda closed her eyes, as if trying to remember.  A few moments later, she opened them.  "Just one.  I've never been able to make you accept me as I am."

A ghost of a smile appeared on his lips.  "Yes.  That is why I'm offering you this chance, Wanda.  Give me back my Anya, and you'll be free to go.  No tricks.  No double crosses.  No going back on my word."

"Dad, I can't bring people back to life," she insisted.

His expression darkened.  "Maybe not.  But you will try, and we will find out together."

Nate had just helped Rachel into the van when he sensed someone approaching from behind.  He turned to see Musty lumbering across the front yard at a rapid pace, with Marrow and Ernie hanging off his neck.  Remy was right at Musty's heels, looking as if he went jogging with a Wendigo every day.

"Hey, Nate!" Marrow shouted as Musty came to a stop beside the van.  "You guys going to see Franklin?"

"Yeah," Nate replied.  "Why?"

"Brings us back something neat?" Marrow asked hopefully.

"Like what?  Gummi Bears and chocolate milk?"

"Cool!  I was gonna say T-shirts, but that's even better!"

Nate sighed and shook his head.  "Knew I was gonna regret saying that."

"Get pink for me and blue for everyone else!" Marrow called, loudly enough so that everyone in the van could hear her.

"Okay!" Illyana shouted back.

Nate rolled his eyes, and then reached up to scratch a spot just above and between Musty's eyes.  He was almost knocked off his feet when the Wendigo sighed and suddenly leaned against him.  "Actually, I think Musty might prefer a pink one," he commented.

"Huh?  Why?" Illyana asked, poking her head out of the van.

"Hey, a used to be a street-corner fortune teller.  Favorite colors are easy."  He gently pushed Illyana back into the van and climbed in himself.  "Stay outta trouble, you guys, and maybe you'll get sweets and T-shirts.  Uh, we'll pick you up that bourbon on the way back, Remy."

"Much obliged, mon ami," Remy said, making a formal bow.

Storm gave them both wary looks from the passenger seat.  "Please tell me you're joking, Nate."

"Huh?  Oh.  Yeah.  Sure.  Joke."  He looked out the window and whistled innocently, though he could hardly be heard over Illyana and Rachel's giggles.  Even Piotr was trying to keep a reproachful look on his face and failing miserably.

Had the nonsense ended there, Storm might've tried to forget all about it.  But then she turned in time to catch a saucy wink from Remy as he herded Musty and the two childish leeches across the yard. 

Logan growled softly as he sniffed around Wanda and Kitty's last known whereabouts.  Ignoring the musty smell of the tunnel that led beneath the school, he could still pick up traces of the people who stood there.  There was the floral, slightly soapy smell of Kitty's body wash, the spicy odor of Wanda's perfume, and the sweet scent of Jubilee's bubble gum.  Each was laced with a healthy amount of fear, though Wanda's included quite a bit of anger. 

The truly odd thing was that while Logan could pick up lesser traces of other students, such as Marie, the first three stood out more prominently, as if strengthened by some unknown force.  It was then that Logan caught a trace of something else: pure sickness and walking death.  His eyes widened in fear and anger when he found the scent mixing with Kitty's.  Jubilee had told him something about a mutant that made Kitty sick, but maybe she'd had no idea how sick.

"She not dead, mon ami," said a voice above him.  "Least, not yet."

Logan's head snapped up to find Remy crouching on top of tunnel entrance.  "Get back ta school, kid."

The boy shook his head.  "You need my help.  So do Wanda.  I know who took her."

"Yeah?" Logan asked cautiously.  He'd never really liked the scent of the boy, since he smelled of awareness and danger…far too much like Logan himself.

"Monster.  Dey call him Omega Red.  One o' de best assassins alive."

"You know that how?" Logan growled.

"Ever heard of the Assassins Guild?"

"No."

"Good."  Remy leapt lightly from his perch.  "Put it like dis, mon ami.  You don' want Wanda and Kitty wit dat man any longer dan dey have to be."

"You know how to find them?"

Remy nodded.  "Tracker on Wanda.  Lead me right to dem."

"She know about this?"

The boy grinned.  "What she don' know, mon ami, keep her safe.  Remy always look out for his team."

Logan sniffed and frowned.  "That better not be them," he muttered as Musty appeared, still carrying Marrow and Ernie.

Remy shrugged.  "Eh.  Dis backup team."

"Yeah.  As in they all better get back up to that school right now."

"But dey perfect team!  Musty and Ernie handle de rough stuff, petite squeeze through de small spots.  'Sides, dey don't go, Remy don't go.  Which mean Monsieur Logan don' find Kitty."

Logan growled in frustration.  He could try following what remained of Kitty and Wanda's scents, but the trail would probably go cold or get washed away when it rained.  He also knew that Xavier wouldn't approve.  But then again, Xavier was sending some of his best players on a damn field trip, while the rest sat around the War Room flapping their gumes.  If anything, Remy's way would get them to Wanda and Kitty faster.  He wasn't sure of the nature of this tracker, but Magneto would find it eventually, most likely.  Best to get as close as possible while they still could follow it.

"Okay, kid.  We follow your lead.  But you better be as good as I hope you are."

Remy chuckled.  "Relax, mon ami.  Gambit better dan everyone t'ink he is."

Franklin Richards sighed as he ran his fingers carefully over his reflection.  "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"They need to know," the reflection insisted.  "In fact, they should've known a long time ago.  Xavier isn't going to tell them, so that leaves us."

Still being very much a child, Franklin was inclined to agree with himself.  After all, his mother had told him more than once that mirrors couldn't lie.  Of course, he was pretty sure she didn't hide alternate versions of herself in hers, though.  He had checked.

"I don't want to upset Rachel and Illyana," he murmured.

"I know.  But in the long run, telling them is for the best.  They need to know what lives inside them."

There was a knock on the bathroom door.  "Honey, aren't you done yet?  You don't want to be late for your little playdate."

Franklin sighed in mild annoyance.  Much as he loved his mother, and even though she was a superhero, he still felt compelled to hide his own superhero-related business from her.  Which meant every month he had "playdates" with children of other superheroes.  Usually, they did anything but play, but anyone that walked in, thanks to Franklin's illusions, would see a game of chess.  All this was fine and good, but he really wished she didn't have to call them playdates.  It was so…childish.

"I'll be right out, Mom," he replied, brushing his hair a few times.  He wanted to look neat, but not so neat that it was obvious he'd fixed himself up for the event.  After all, it hadn't been long ago when he'd realized cooties weren't real, and he wasn't interested in Rachel or Illyana that way.  Although, considering the other him's connection to Rachel, maybe he should've been.  Or not, because that would be cheating on himself, and he didn't even want to think of the consequences of something like that. 

Taking a deep, cleansing breath, he stepped out of the bathroom, only to find his mother rearranging some of the stuffed animals lined up across his bed.  "Mom…"

She stopped and turned around.  Franklin was not surprised to see that she was all dressed up.  Most likely, she'd agreed to the playdate in part because Xavier believed firmly in chaperones, and nothing said, "Hey, free babysitter for Franklin," quite like a professional chaperone.  Franklin had proven more than once that he didn't need a sitter.  He'd sent the last one home in tears, all because he'd done his "I'm-a-ten-year-old-psycologist-and-you're-a-teenager-who-should-be-ashamed-of-herself" bit.  And he hadn't even read her mind that time.

"Tell me again how you know this Rachel girl?" Susan Richards asked her son.

He could hardly say he'd dreamed about her, so he took the easy way out.  "She's the best chess player at Xavier's.  I beat her at online chess, and now she's challenged me to the real thing.  I think she's hoping I'll lose my nerve if she bats her eyelashes and acts all girly up-close."

She was not quite sure how to respond to that.  Honestly, Franklin did that to her all the time, and despite being his mother, she still hadn't gotten used to it.  "Oh.  That's…nice."

He grinned and reached up to squeeze her hand.  "Don't worry, Mom.  I'll let her win one game."

Next Chapter: Franklin speaks the truth, Remy does some tracking, and Anya arises.


	17. Daughter Dearest

Note: I first learned of Anya during "Fatal Attractions," the storyline where Magneto tore the adamantium from Wolverine's bones. I was again reminded of her in "The Chaos Engine Trilogy, Book 3: Red Skull" (a novel, not a comic, I guess). Both storylines paint very interesting pictures of Magneto, but it's clear to me he really loved that girl. I don't know for a fact that Magneto is Jewish, but I figure it's likely.

Chapter 17: Daughter Dearest

During her brief time at Xavier's, Wanda had heard whispered rumors of what Magneto had done to Rogue. All she really knew was that there was a machine and a power transfer involved, neither of which was made to sound at all pleasant. From the way Rogue covered up everything except her face and hair, Wanda could tell that she was still unable to control her mutant power. Having lost control of her own powers more than once, Wanda felt sorry for the girl. But she had always given Marie plenty of space, because she wasn't sure how the girl would react to her (and more importantly, her being Magneto's daughter). Of course, Wanda had done nothing to Marie, but sometimes just being related to madmen was enough to damn their whole families. And as Caliban carried her deeper into the caverns beneath the warehouse, Wanda wished that she had been born to any other family.

"Are you really going to bring your sister back from the dead?" Kitty whispered. "I mean…can you DO that?"

"I don't know," Wanda admitted from Caliban's shoulder. "I hope not."

"Well…what happens to us if you can't?"

"You should be fine. Dad seems to have mellowed a little, shocking as that is. He'll probably just be pissed at me, but I'm way too used to that."

"You don't think he'll…hurt you, do you?"

"Kitty, he's trying to replace me with a corpse. 'Hurt' doesn't begin to describe how I feel."

"But do you think he was serious about staying out of your life for good?"

"Yeah, I do. We never got along too good, but he never lied to me. He's not that kind of man."

Kitty frowned. "Are you sure we're talking about the same Magneto?"

Rachel couldn't understand why she felt so nervous. The only time she'd ever feared Franklin was when he'd forced her to stare at the hole where his missing eye used to be. As far as she knew, the Franklin she was about to meet had both eyes, and so there was no real reason to be afraid of him.

A hand came down and patted her head gently. "It'll be fine, Rachel. You have nothing to worry about."

She was a little surprised to see that the hand belonged to Jean, instead of Nate. Even stranger was the fact that Rachel felt her face forming a big smile, if only for Jean's sake. "Thanks," she whispered.

The elevator came to a stop, and the doors silently slid open. Illyana had just taken a step forward when a laser beam flew by, just inches over her head.

"Snowflake!" Piotr cried, yanking her back inside, even as his skin turned to shining steel. "Stay behind me, everyone!"

The words were barely out of his mouth when a figure in silver body armor and a green, hooded cape appeared before them. "Tremble in fear before Doom!" boomed a tinny, maniacal voice.

"Maybe some other time," Nate replied calmly, his left eye flashing brightly.

The armor didn't explode so much as it collapsed into several pieces on the floor.

Realizing everyone was staring at him, Nate shrugged. "No brain activity equals robot. What, nobody else picked up on it?"

"Rachel was too scared," Illyana supplied in what she thought was a helpful manner.

"I wasn't!" Rachel cried, though she didn't look so confident. "He just…startled me, is all. I thought he was a Sentinel at first."

"I, too, must admit to being surprised," Storm murmured. "Dr. Doom is a longtime foe of the Richards family."

It was then that a boy clad only in overalls a size too big and a blue and black striped shirt ran up, panting loudly. "Sorry, everyone! My robot got away from me again."

"You MADE that monstrosity?!" Piotr asked. "It almost shot-"

"What? Oh, that," the boy said, far too calmly for Piotr's taste. "No, no, no. Those weren't actual lasers. I would never make something that could actually hurt anyone. I built hologram projectors into the limbs. Notice no holes or scorch marks on the walls? Mom insisted the weapons be fake, since the last one actually did have-" He paused there, realizing that maybe he was telling them too much. "Um. I hope no one was frightened?"

"You made a robot of one of the world's most notorious villains," Jean said slowly. "And you didn't expect anyone to be frightened?"

The boy scratched his head. "Well, I didn't mean for anyone else to see it," he said after a moment. "I made it for training purposes. I figure eventually he'll try to kidnap me, so I have to be ready. I mean, you're training Rachel and Illyana to fight evil, aren't you?"

Jean and Storm looked at each other in mild disbelief and more than a little concern.

"You're…not?" the boy said slowly. "In that case, I'm really glad you're here. The sooner I show you this, the better off you'll all be." With that, he headed back down the hall. "Just leave the robot for now. I'll get it later."

"Who…was that?" Piotr asked slowly.

"Frankie," Rachel replied. "At least, I think it was."

"I think he's neat," Illyana said firmly. "We should get a Magneto robot. For training."

"We'll think about it when you become a child prodigy," Nate answered, patting her head.

Logan had no problem swiping the school's Jeep. What he did have a problem with was taking all of Gambit's "teammates" with them. But the boy had stood firm on Marrow, Ernie, and Musty coming along, and he had a kind of grudging respect for anyone that could stand up to his snarl.

"You're sure this tracer of yours will work, kid?" Logan asked for the third time.

Gambit nodded. "Oui. Unless dey drain out all Wanda's blood. Den we be in trouble."

"Wouldn't she be in more trouble than us in that case?" Marrow asked from the back seat.

Logan grunted. "Don't think we have to worry 'bout that, Marrow. If Mags wanted Wanda dead, he wouldn't bother with snatching her first. He needs her for something. We just gotta hope whatever it is don't mess her up too bad before we get to her."

"T'ink it'll be worse dan what he do to Rogue?" Gambit asked.

"Put it like this, Cajun. I ain't waitin' around to find out."

Wanda and Kitty stared down at the glass coffin in a mixture of shock and disbelief.

"This can't be her," Wanda said at last. "I mean…she should be dust by now."

"Of course, this isn't the original body," Magneto explained. "Suffice it to say this is—or will be—my Anya, if she had lived." He pressed his hand to the glass and took a deep, cleansing breath. "Soon, my dear," he whispered.

Kitty looked up at him. "This isn't right," she said. "Even if Wanda can do this—and I have my doubts about that—you can't do allow this to happen. Your daughter is dead. Think of what this could do to her soul. Think of what this could do to Wanda!"

Magneto closed his eyes. "I understand that Illyana Rasputin was missing, for a time. You know her?"

Kitty frowned. "Sure. Why?"

"When she was gone, did it pain you to think you might never see her again? In your moment of darkest despair, wouldn't you have given anything just to hear her laugh or call your name? Do you honestly understand what it means to lose a child forever?"

"But she didn't die," Kitty insisted.

"No, she did not. And why is that? Surely she was no more innocent than my Anya? Why should she live, when my Anya is dead? Can you honestly tell me that is fair?"

"No, it's not fair. It's…life."

"Yes, it is. And my Anya's will soon begin anew."

Shaking her head, Kitty turned to Wanda, hoping for another voice of reason. Instead, she found Wanda staring down at the little girl in the glass case, a helpless look on her face.

"Wanda?" Kitty whispered.

Wanda closed her eyes. "I know it's crazy, Kitty, but I have to try."

"What? Why?!"

But Wanda didn't answer her. Instead, she turned to her father. "And you promise to stay out of my life?"

"I do," Magneto said simply.

"What about Uncle Chuck and all the kids? I'm staying with them."

A frown crossed the man's face, but only for a moment. "I still have every intention of making this world a place where mutants reign, Wanda. You will learn very quickly that it is Charles who interferes with my plans, not the other way around. So while I swear that I will never strike them with the intent to harm, I will not allow anyone to stand in the way of my dream. If they intrude, they will be dealt with as I see fit. If you don't want them to be hurt, I suggest you talk them out of their usual brand of foolishness."

Wanda shook her head. "I don't understand you at all. Why is it when Uncle Chuck opposes you directly, you still consider him a friend, even after all this time? Why couldn't it be that way between us? Why wasn't I ever good enough to stay in your life?"

Magneto sighed and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Wanda, despite what you may think, I have always been proud to know that you were my flesh and blood. From the moment your powers first manifested, I knew you were meant for greater things than even myself. But you lacked control and lashed out at everyone around you. Until you could harness your abilities, you were far too dangerous. I had no choice but to send you away. It was either that or keep you by my side, and restrict your powers. Many times I thought of doing just that. But I know the pain that comes from not being able to use your gifts when they can do the most good. It's how I lost Anya, and I could never sentence you to that fate. I pushed you away so you could be free. I knew you would hate being a prisoner inside your own body."

"What if I want something different now?" Wanda asked after a moment. "What if I want to be allowed back into your life? You know I have control now, or you wouldn't ask me to do this for you."

"Would you really join me, and my cause?" Magneto murmured warily.

"Probably not. But I didn't understand why you didn't want me until now, and I hated you for it. Now that I know, I want to at least try to be a family. I still intend to live with Uncle Chuck, but I want the right to see you sometimes."

"Fair enough. We can work out the details after you're done." He gestured to the coffin, and two silver columns rose from the floor in front of it, each with the impression of a handprint on top.

Wanda swallowed nervously as she placed her hands on the columns. Usually, she only had to concentrate on what she wanted to happen, and let the power flow from her body. Sometimes, it helped if she chanted the goal in her mind over and over again.

Stay dead, Anya. Show him that this is a huge mistake. Show him that he has all the family he needs.

It was the last thought Wanda had before something ancient, dark, and cold seized her, hungrily pulling her down into itself and swallowing her whole.

Franklin led the group from Xavier's into a huge room almost entirely filled with mirrors. Each mirror had a barcode on the edge, as well as brief keyword or abbreviation in the center. Most of the words made no sense, such as "Mojo" and "Fut. Past" and "LLL W.C." A few had more interesting names, such as "Crim. Dawn" and "Exiles v.2."

"What is this place?" Storm asked in wonder.

"Used to be my busy station," Franklin replied. "I needed to keep occupied, so my mind didn't wander. I'm dangerous when I'm bored, people tell me. And then I figured I should just have a place for when my mind DID wander, since it always does eventually. So I keep all my head stuff here. Memories, visions, flashes, all of it goes in here. Like a vault, kinda."

"Then why are we here?" Jean asked.

Franklin turned to Rachel and Illyana, giving them both a little push. "Go on, find your mirrors." He looked up at Nate. "You, too."

Jean wasn't sure what she found stranger: that Nate, Illyana, and Rachel had their own mirrors here, or that they were expected to find them with no guidance at all. She was naturally a bit surprised when all three children started walking, blank expressions on their faces, and found their mirrors within twenty seconds.

"They call out to you," Franklin explained, seeing Jean's look of shock. "They ARE you, sorta. Hard to explain." He walked over to Illyana and gently took her elbow in his hand. "Give it a poke," he suggested, nodding at the mirror.

Storm saw that Illyana's mirror had seen some revision. First it had been called "Russia," then "Mikh," then "Hill," then "Yana," and was now known as "Limbo."

Illyana hesitantly tapped the mirror with a finger. Instantly, the surface began to shimmer, distorting her reflection for a few seconds. When the shimmers stopped, Illyana backed up a few steps, and then slowly stepped forward again, her mouth working in silence.

The girl that stared back at her only shared a passing resemblance to Illyana, and even then it was a stretch to connect them.

"Is this some sort of sick joke?!" Jean demanded.

Franklin looked offended. "If I was joking, you'd be laughing," he assured her.

"That is NOT Illyana," Piotr said firmly, but even as he stared at the thing in the mirror, his face seemed to soften a bit. "It can't be…"

"It is," Illyana whispered softly, reaching up to trace the reflection's face with her fingers.

The female fiend in the mirror shrank away from Illyana's hand, snarling in silence as her crimson eyes flared menacingly and her golden horns grew longer and twisted. When Illyana did not move away, the demoness stamped her cloven feet and seemed to draw a long, silver sword out of the air.

It was at that point that Franklin grabbed Illyana's shirt and pulled her away from the mirror. "Even reflections that don't technically exist can be harmful," he warned her.

Illyana nodded, her eyes wide but not exactly fearful.

"What you're seeing is basically a nightmare. The problem being that if certain events go certain ways, nightmares can be all too real."

"Do you have any proof of this being real?" Storm asked.

Before Franklin could open his mouth, Illyana reached into her pocket and pulled out what looked like the tip of a golden horn. "I had a nightmare the other day. When I woke up, this was sticking out of my head again. Marrow helped me break it off, so I could save it."

"You've…turned into that creature?" Piotr asked in alarm.

"More than once?" Jean added.

"It wasn't a lie," Illyana said quickly. "No one asked, so I couldn't lie about it!"

"Well, even I didn't know, so it's no wonder no one else did," Nate pointed out. "I knew about the nightmares, but you told me you were fine, so I didn't press the issue."

"I am fine," Illyana insisted. "It only comes when I'm really angry, and that almost never happens."

"You mean, it almost never happened twice," Jean said, giving her a look.

Illyana looked sheepish. "Well, yeah. So?"

"You know you should've told someone, Yana," Nate pointed. "I'm not sure who, but someone."

"I didn't want to. Marrow said people treat you different when you look like she does."

"What? She's crazy. You're a cutie inside and out, Yana. Even if you did have horns, I'd go out with you in a heartbeat."

That got some weird looks all around, but Franklin was grinning and Illyana looked hopeful.

"You would, Nate? Really?" she asked.

"Sure! One of my best friends used to look like a tractor backed over his face three times in a row, and I never held it against him."

Rachel made a face. "I bet everyone else did, though."

"Well, there was that, but I liked him just fine," Nate said firmly. "It might've been harder to find people that would accept them, but he kept looking and he eventually found them. It was all worth it, too."

"I should point out that this was just a possibility," Franklin added after a moment. "There are others." He pushed another mirror in front of Illyana's. "This one I found last night. Watch what happens if you look through it at Illyana's mirror."

The demoness nearly doubled in height, but her horns and hooves faded away, leaving a young, but older version of Illyana staring back at them. She was dressed in tight-fitting crimson body armor, and there was a sword strapped to her back. She was very beautiful, but her face soon hardened into a determined scowl.

"So you see, there are other paths," Franklin pointed out. "One just has to find them."

Peitro Maximoff had never really gotten along with his sister. She had always been envious of him, because he had been the child their father preferred. He wasn't terribly fond of her, either. More than once, he'd claimed that he didn't care whether Wanda lived or died.

Of course, at those times, her death had never really seemed all that possible.

But as Pietro stood at his father's side, watching black tendrils of energy fly from the glass coffin and ensnare his twin sister's body, he realized that Wanda could very well die…and that, for some reason, bothered him greatly.

He couldn't stand by and watch her die. Certainly not like this. This was torture, plain and simple, for both of them. All for a lost child who had been dead for years, and was meant to remain so. Pietro began to wonder why he'd ever gone along with his plan. No matter how he felt about Wanda, she was the only sister he knew. The idea of trading her for a dead body suddenly didn't seem all that appealing.

Almost instinctively, Pietro tapped into his mutant power. To anyone watching, he would've become little more than a blur or a strong gust of wind. That was just fine with him, as he didn't really want to be stopped just then. Silently hoping his father would forgive him, Pietro raced toward the ghastly machine and drove his foot into the side. He was instantly rewarded with a shower of sparks that sent both him and Wanda flying across the room.

Pietro landed hard against the cold floor, tasting blood in his mouth. A glance to the right revealed Wanda beside him, unconscious and pale, but alive, as he could see her chest rising and falling. Suddenly, it was her forgiveness he desired, not his father's.

He turned and found Magneto's eyes, and in that moment, he knew that he was no longer his father's favorite. In fact, he wondered if the Master of Magnetism would ever tell another living soul that he had a son. That thought scared him more than anything else, especially if it became a reality this day.

And so Pietro did the one thing he'd always been the best at: he ran, without stopping, without thinking, and without remorse.

Rachel had quite a bit on her mind as she stepped out of Freedoms Four Plaza. She could not stop thinking about all that Franklin had shown her. Of course, that had been his intent from the first, she knew now. He'd always been so good at planning ahead. Apparently that hadn't changed in this world, either.

She found herself staring at Illyana, who'd seemed the least bothered by the whole experience, now that everything was out in the open. Rachel suspected her friend was just glad that Franklin had taken care of the hard parts. There was a monster living inside her, but for now, maybe, she mostly had control over it. Franklin had warned against using her powers too often, which Illyana was in the practice of doing, anyway. Ever since being rescued from The Hill, she hadn't teleported once. Rachel knew this had something to do with Mikhail, but didn't ask what. When Illyana was ready, she would tell.

As if she knew she was under scrutiny, Illyana turned, flashed one of her bright smiles at Rachel, and grabbed her hand, tugging the redhead along so she didn't fall behind.

Rachel's thoughts then turned to Nate, who hadn't said a word since gazing into his own mirror. She had actually been glad to learn that Nate wasn't perfect. Much as she cared about—no, loved; she was finally able to admit that without thinking of her own brother—Nate, Rachel had learned not to trust perfect people, no matter which side they claimed to be on. Learning that there was another Nate in his head, one even closer to perfection (at least where power was concerned) was actually a great relief to Rachel. It explained so many things, like how he'd pulled her and Illyana into this world. The best way to think of it was that while Nate was strong, he could only begin to approach Rachel's level of raw power, and only then with the help of the other Nate.

She reached instinctively for his hand with her free one, interrupting whatever thoughts had brought that solemn look to his face. Though he did not look down, Nate's larger fingers closed instantly over hers, and some of the tension seemed to melt from his expression, at least. Rachel sent calmness and love through their psychic link, and smiled as she felt him return the favor, with a bit of concern thrown in.

Rachel's own mirror, in a way, had been more troubling than any of the others. All she could see in it was an endless field of all-consuming fire. It only served to remind her of her true home, and the family she had lost forever. Franklin had apologized many times, but not because he hadn't been able to find any more mirrors for her. Somehow, they both knew that all Rachel's mirrors held the same image.

Wanda didn't know how she knew, but she knew for a fact that Pietro had just saved her life. Of all Magneto's fold, he was the only one with enough guts and Maximoff blood to show her any loyalty. She couldn't begin to guess when he'd grown a conscience, but she was very glad that he had.

She was lying on a bed, and at once she noticed that the manacles were back on. That was no surprise, really. Pietro had probably destroyed any chance on Anya being restored, and Magneto wasn't going to just let her go now. She hoped poor Kitty hadn't gotten her hopes up about being let go anytime soon. They would probably be here for some time, now.

A door somewhere beyond her head opened, and Magneto's crew moved into her field of vision: Caliban, Deadpool, Omega Red, that mysterious woman assassin, and Magneto himself. Caliban was now hauling Kitty around on his shoulder, but other than that, she was fine. Probably Pietro's betrayal had made Magneto a bit more cautious.

"Feeling better, Wanda?" Magneto asked softly.

"No," she replied, which was true. She had not yet regained her strength. That weird machine had drained a lot more than her powers, she suspected. Maybe even some of her life.

"I thought you might like some company. There's a little angel that wants to thank you for being so good to her."

Wanda's eyes widened in shock as a tiny, golden-haired girl in a simple black dress moved into view. But it was immediately clear, to herself, at least, that Magneto's experiment had not been entirely successful.

From a distance, Anya would have easily been mistaken for any little girl. But being restrained right next to her, it was easy to see that there had been some flaws, either already in the wildly imaginative process, or added by Pietro's interruption. The girl's eyes were entirely black, and resembled dark, shiny marbles more than anything else. Her lips were the same dark color, and something told Wanda that that effect was due to no lipstick she'd ever bought.

"Don't be shy, little one," Magneto said gently, touching Anya's head. "Thank your sister."

To Wanda's horror, Anya moved closer and began to climb onto the bed. There was something so…wrong about the girl that made Wanda's stomach churn, as if she wanted to vomit but couldn't manage it. Just being near Anya was bad enough, but the thought of being touched by her was too horrible to imagine. Though she had no choice in the matter, Wanda still did her best to roll away from the thing passing itself off as her long-dead half-sister.

Up until then, there had been a blank expression on Anya's face. But as she leaned over Wanda, her black lips curved into a slight smile. Slowly, she leaned forward and softly pressed her lips to Wanda's cheek.

Wanda shut her eyes tightly, barely holding in the strong urge to scream. Anya's lips were like ice against her skin. They were so cold, in fact, that just as she pulled away, Wanda could swear her skin had begun to tingle with pain, as if it had come in contact with dry ice.

Much to Wanda's disgust, Anya curled up beside her on the bed, laying her golden head affectionately on Wanda's stomach, which did a few more flip-flops inside her before thankfully deciding to turn itself off.

"She seems quite taken with you," Magneto observed. "I do hope you'll consider staying and getting to know her?"

Wanda glared up at him, but said nothing.

"I don't like this," Omega Red said suddenly, glaring at the little girl. He turned to Magneto and gave voice to what Wanda had been thinking all along. "She is not alive. Not really. She has no heartbeat, no pulse. If I were to use my death spore on her, I would probably starve to death."

"As well you should for even thinking such a thing, you monster," Magneto snapped.

"I may be a monster, but at least I'm obvious about it. Whatever she is, it's not human or mutant. You should destroy her now, before-"

At that point, Wanda stopped listening. She had been watching Anya the whole time, partially afraid something bad would happen if she didn't. She could understand where Omega Red was coming from, and while she hated him, at least she knew what he was capable of. Anya was far more frightening that way; one had no way of knowing what she might do next, as she immediately went on to prove at Omega Red's angry outburst.

Anya lifted her head and glared at the Russian assassin, unnoticed by anyone but Wanda at the moment. Tiny black spots begin to appear around her body, as if the air itself was deteriorating around her.

With no warning at all, Omega Red was shrouded by a column of darkness. When it faded, there was no trace of him: he had ceased to exist. The whole thing probably took three seconds.

Anya returned her little head to Wanda's chest, as if nothing had happened. But Wanda could see a faint red glow in her half-sister's eyes, and could even imagine Omega Red's dying screams echoing in her ears. Except, maybe, she thought she wasn't quite imagining them.

Kitty couldn't stop shaking, and it had nothing to do with the death spore that had once wreaked havoc on her body. Magneto could call that thing his daughter all he wanted, but Omega Red had been right (emphasis on the HAD been): Anya was a monster of the worst kind. To think that Wanda had even been partially responsible for reviving her was disturbing, to say the least.

And while Anya's practically devouring Omega Red was at the forefront of her mind, there was something else bothering Kitty as she sat alone in her cell (Magneto hadn't been sure if Anya was done…feeding). As she'd watched Wanda's body jerk wildly while at the mercy of that machine, she had heard someone whisper in her ear, "Phase." It could've been anyone; at the time, she'd been too worried about Wanda to recognize the speaker. Anyway, the manacles would've prevented her form using her powers.

She happened to look down then, and noticed for the first time that there was a thin but definite crack in the manacles. She had no idea when it had happened, or how long it had been there, but something was telling her to run now, before Anya got hungry again and decided she looked tasty. Somehow, she didn't think her and Magneto's shared Jewish heritage would buy her very much sympathy.

Kitty had phased through the manacles with little more than a thought, and was about to do the same to the floor of her cell when she realized someone was watching her. Looking up, she saw that mysterious woman in the doorway, and just beyond her, the big brute that Wanda had called Caliban. She swallowed hard, realizing she might have less than a second to act before they were on her.

To her surprise, though, Caliban walked off without saying a word. The woman watched her for a few more seconds before leaving as well.

Don't just stand there, child. You won't get another chance.

Kitty did not question the voice she heard this time, or where it had come from. In another few seconds, she was gone.

Next Chapter: The origin of Anya's dark powers is revealed, as is the purpose of Magneto's mysterious female assassin. Gambit's team attempts to save Wanda, but Anya isn't too willing to let her go. And, in the midst of all that, a traitor emerges.

Reviews!

TheDreamerLady

Let's break out the bourbon for remy mwhahaha

or we could just give some apple cider...

Nate promised, and Remy WILL have bourbon. Puts hair on the chest. Or burns it all off. I forget which. Cider rocks, tho.

Jeanne Marie

I especially loved the Deadpool scene, it was great.

I could make a lewd comment about what kind of person would like Deadpool. Instead, as a HUGE Deadpool fan, I think I'll just say thanks very much. Especially since I'm working on another movieverse story featuring Deadpool and a young Siryn. Old school X-Force fans should like it (as in back when the team first started).

GAH! Must...resist...urge to include...preview...in review...

Marrow

Loved Illyana and how she's developing. Loved that you put Marrow in there. She's my favorite character and it was a very pleasant surprise.

Both Yana and Marrow have some more growing to do. Glad you like what I've put them through so far.


	18. Enter the Sinister

Notes: This chapter ran long, so I had to split it. Some of the events I described in the last chapter won't take place until the next one. Sorry!

Chapter 18: Enter the Sinister

Magneto dialed the number and waited. The phone rang only once before being answered.

"Magnus," said a rich, cultured voice. "So good to hear from you again. I trust little Anya is once again among the living?"

"In a manner of speaking, Essex. There have been some…complications."

"Oh? Such as?" he asked, amusement in his tone.

"Pietro interrupted the revival process. I don't believe it was completed."

"Has Anya grown into her little disappearing act yet?"

Magneto froze. "You KNEW about that?!"

"Oh, of course I did, Magnus. It seems to me that Anya has been restored exactly as I planned."

"What have you done to my daughter, Essex?!" Magneto roared into the phone.

"Nothing your heart didn't already desire. Seeing as how the rest of your children have been blessed with certain gifts, I assumed you would want the same for your beloved Anya. Her restoration, however, has exceeded my wildest expectations. At first, I assumed my monitors were wrong. Now, I see that your daughter has improved upon even my advanced design. So long as she has a mutant's genetic material to consume, she will never die. You will never have to lose her again, Magnus. Is that not what you wanted?"

"I asked you to restore my daughter's body," Magneto said heatedly. "I said NOTHING about improving on it!"

"You might say I took a bit of creative license there. My advice is to keep her well fed. She should only need one mutant per month. It may sound excessive, but trust me, there are plenty of mutants this world would be better off without. In fact, if you ever need help finding them, for a small fee, I might even be convinced to deliver them in person."

"This isn't over between us, Essex," Magneto growled. "You can be assured of that."

"Do take good care of Anya, Magnus," Essex replied, ignoring the threat. "After all, she's my daughter, too…now." He laughed cruelly into the phone before hanging up.

* * *

Jean was honestly doing her best not to listen to the conversation. She figured that was the reason the girls were talking so quietly, and in the backseat of the van, no less. But then, the eavesdropping wasn't entirely her fault. Ever since Rachel had gazed into Franklin's mirror, there had been this odd connection between them. It had started the very moment Rachel reacted to whatever the mirror shown her. The girl had reached out, instinctively, for comfort and protection.

So Jean had been more than a little surprised when she'd felt Rachel's arms squeezing her leg, but she hadn't said anything, for fear of driving the girl away again. She wasn't entirely sure that Rachel herself was aware of having done that, but if anyone else in the room had noticed, it would've been Nate. The bond between he and Rachel was just too strong for him not to. Yet, he hadn't said anything, either. Jean couldn't decide if that was jealousy or acceptance, but she hoped it was the latter. If she had to compete with Nate for Rachel's affections, she had a feeling she was fighting a losing battle.

All the same, she wished Storm and the boys would hurry up. Jean threw another desperate glance towards the convenience store, wondering if Nate was carrying out his threat to buy bourbon for Remy. All the while, her slight but definitely existent connection to Rachel was picking up all of the hushed conversation. As she had no idea who created it, Jean had no control over the link, and so she couldn't disconnect it.

"You have a psychic link with Nate? When did that happen?" Illyana asked.

"A while ago," Rachel said, frowning at the odd Rubix Cube that Franklin had given her. It actually did seem impossible, for some reason, but she wasn't ready to give up yet.

"How come I didn't know about it?"

"I guess I never thought to mention it."

"No, I mean, why didn't I KNOW about it?" Illyana said, tapping her forehead. "I've got one, too."

"Oh." Rachel blinked and stared at her friend for a few seconds. "I see. You've only got a Level 2."

"Huh?"

"It means you don't know everything that Nate does. Your link is limited."

"And yours isn't?" Illyana pressed, sounding a little jealous.

"Yes and no." She glared at the Rubix Cube and surrendered it to Illyana. "Level 1 is commands. That's where you use a one-way link to make somebody do something. Most of them are temporary, operated by a certain condition being met, or a trigger. For example, if I really wanted to, I could make Bobby drop his pants every time he heard the word 'rutabaga'. Or if I made Jubilee promise to keep a secret, and she didn't, every time she blabbed, I could make her sing 'I'm A Little Teapot'."

"So what's Level 2?"

"That's what you have now. It's a two-way, so thoughts can pass back and forth. There, the telepath doesn't have to be the dominant half of the link, like with Level 1."

"So why didn't Nate make ours a Level 3?" Illyana muttered, pouting a bit.

"You don't get it, Yana. Level 3 is a continuous, constant psychic rapport. No secrets; you share everything. If you think or feel it, the other person knows it. You wouldn't have been able to hide your transformation if you'd had that. Now do you see why Nate limited your link? He wanted you to have some privacy."

"So you two share EVERYTHING?" Illyana asked in surprise.

"Well, yeah. I don't have anything to hide, and I guess he doesn't either. Not from each other, anyway. Usually people with Level 3 links are either married or blood relatives. It's usually not a good idea for your basic friendships. But it is a good way to find out just how close two people are."

At that moment, the side door slid open, and Nate climbed into the van with a suspicious looking brown bag under one arm. He caught Jean looking at him, flashed her a big grin, and moved to the end of the seat so Piotr could climb in after him.

Storm slid into the passenger's seat, looking a little flushed, as if she'd been shouting recently.

_"He didn't buy the bourbon, did he?"_ Jean asked with her mind, knowing full well that Nate could hear every word.

Storm frowned and glared straight ahead. _"As he so eloquently put it, Jean, 'Chief Snorting Bull's Black Bayou Firewater is not technically bourbon in the traditional sense,' and I was forced to agree."_

_"And you let him buy it?"_ Jean pressed in surprise.

The woman's face tightened noticeably. _"I was persuaded,"_ Storm replied curtly.

Jean's face turned bright red as the full content of Nate's persuasion technique was revealed to her by Storm's embarrassed thoughts. _"Oh, Ororo,"_ she gasped mentally, stifling laughter. _"A foot rub?"_

"Jubilee assured me it was worth the initial embarrassment. Apparently, he's quite skilled. Something about using his powers to find exactly what each client needs."

Jean smirked. _"And what, pray tell, is it that you need?"_

Storm's eyes flashed white. _"A friend who can keep her mouth shut."_

* * *

Charles Xavier, for some reason that he could not immediately discern, was not alarmed when the security system detected an intruder in the mansion. Instead, he made his way directly to the front door, placing his wheelchair so that it was impossible to exit without moving him first.

Mere seconds later, a speedy blur came to a screeching halt in front of Xavier, resolving itself into an out of breath and disheveled young man.

"Pietro," the Professor said calmly. "How long has it been?"

"I got no time for chatting, old man!" Pietro snapped, his eyes shifting rapidly around the front hall for other means of escape.

"I assume your decidedly non-aggressive presence here indicates you are no longer allied with your father."

"Yeah, so?"

"Then you are also aware that he has deactivated the device in the base of your neck that would normally shield you almost entirely from my powers?"

Pietro's eyes shifted back to the Professor now, a wary look in them. "Yeah," he said slowly.

"Then, being the rapid thinker I know you to be, you must have naturally concluded that trying to run from me would be fruitless, as the message that would normally travel instantly from your brain would never reach those talented feet of yours."

Fixing the man with a glare, Pietro grunted. "What do you want?"

"I believe I should be asking you that," Xavier returned smoothly.

"Look, I just did you a favor! I didn't have to enter the coordinates of my father's base into your computer, but I did!"

"So that's what you were up to. I'm guessing we might also find Wanda there?"

Pietro nodded. "Her and a new Brotherhood. And you'll wanna be real careful. Something tells me my father is no longer playing with a full deck. I'm starting to wonder if he ever was."

"Your father is not insane, Pietro. Merely disillusioned."

"Tell it to Anya when you see her," he replied, bolting the instant Xavier released his body from telepathic control.

For a long moment, the Professor stared after the boy, pondering. Then, his eyes widened in disbelief, and he shook his head. "Erik, my old friend. What in God's name have you done this time?"

* * *

The irony of the situation was not lost on Kitty Pryde, despite her troubles. She was, quite literally a Kat stuck up a tree. Well, she wasn't stuck exactly, but she had no immediate desire to climb down, either. By her watch, she'd been there almost six hours, waiting for something and nothing all at once. She'd wanted to go back to Xavier's, of course, but she was afraid of what might happen if she left Wanda behind. Magneto might move his entire operation while she was gone, and it might be impossible to pick up his trail again. A man with so many mutant trackers had to know how to cover his own tracks.

Kitty was just beginning to doze off when she heard what sounded like a soft panting. Tensing up, she looked down to see a good-sized bloodhound staring up at her with watery eyes. Probably he'd gotten separated from a hunter, but Kitty was far too distracted at the moment to think it over further. She didn't want to get regular humans involved in this mess, they were too unpredictable for her tastes.

"Shoo!" Kitty whispered, waving the dog away. "I don't need to be found! Go chase a fox or something!" She glanced around nervously, hoping no one had heard her. She was even considering phasing in hopes that it would fool the dog and keep her from being spotted by anyone else, but what happened next rendered that unnecessary.

She'd only taken her eyes off of the dog for a few seconds, but when she looked back down, there was a Wendigo staring up at her.

"Musty?!" she squealed, surprising herself as she scrambled down the tree and leaped into the shape-shifter's furry arms. Kitty had never been a big fan of Musty (or his stench), and really only put up with him for the sake of being polite. But at the moment, she was so glad to see anyone that she recognized. And chances were, the Professor wouldn't just let Musty wander this far from the school all alone, which meant…

Sure enough, Mr. Logan appeared in the next few seconds, followed by a small group of students. Kitty latched onto him, too, without thinking, and suspected the only reason she wasn't pushed away was because he was honestly glad to see her safe.

"You hurt, kid?" he asked, ignoring the way she bristled at being called that.

"No, but-"

"Wanda not wit you?" Remy interrupted, glancing around the clearing.

Kitty shook her head. "Magneto still has her."

"Show us where," Logan said at once.

"What? NO!" Kitty cried, startling them all. "You can't go there! She'll EAT you!!!"

"…who?" Logan asked.

"That girl, Anya! She eats mutants whole! You can't go down there, Mr. Logan, you just CAN'T!"

"Whoa, slow down, kid. You saw a girl eat a mutant?"

"Remember the guy that grabbed us? Omega Red? She ate him!"

"Sounds like she did ya a favor, then."

"But she's Magneto's daughter! And she was DEAD yesterday! Magneto made Wanda bring her back to life! He used this machine to drain her powers, and then it-"

"When de last time she ate?" Remy asked sharply.

"I don't know, I just saw her do it the one time. It's not something I WANTED to see again. Why would that matter?"

Remy checked something on his arm that looked like a watch. "Tracker still working. Dat mean Wanda's blood still pumping, and she still alive. But Remy not about to let her be dinner."

"Oh, Anya wouldn't eat Wanda," Kitty replied, getting several looks. "I don't know, she likes her. Maybe she can sense they're sisters. Or she's grateful for Wanda bringing her back to life. Maybe both."

"And she can eat mutants," Logan said slowly.

"Yes. But you're not going down there, right?" Kitty asked hopefully. "I mean, Wanda's not really in danger, she said Magneto wouldn't hurt her…" Actually, Wanda had said that Magneto wouldn't hurt Kitty, but they didn't need to know that. Whatever kept them from charging straight into Anya's mouth seemed like a good idea at the time.

* * *

Wanda was starting to worry a great deal about her sanity.

Just last night, she'd raised her half-sister from the dead. But afterwards, she hadn't even considered Anya human, much less related. And that was the real problem: the more time she spent with the girl, the more Wanda started to think of her as an actual person and relative.

Of course, what Anya had done to Omega Red was never far from her (or anyone else's) mind, but it was easy to forget momentarily, just by looking at the little girl. Anya was very well-behaved, doing everything her father asked of her. At this point, all he'd really asked was that she keep her appetite under control.

But all the exposure to Anya also helped Wanda to see more faults in her work. Anya was totally incapable of speech. Anytime she tried, there was a horrid hissing noise, as if there was a dying snake caught in her throat.

There was also a certain awareness in Anya that unnerved Wanda to no end. It was not telepathy, since Wanda had plenty of experience with that. All the same, she censored her thoughts around and about Anya as best she could. And, as if returning the favor, Anya stopped trying to speak after three failed attempts. Unfortunately, this also meant that she expressed herself more and more by taking Wanda's hands in her own, or laying her head in Wanda's lap, and even insisting on sleeping with Wanda.

At first, it had been hard not to pity Anya's sad excuse for an afterlife. Now, it was even more difficult not to love her for her unshakable loyalty. Magneto had tried only once to pry Anya from her half-sister. All things considered, Wanda thought he got off easy with a glare that lasted only three seconds. But afterwards, Anya was just as sweet to him as she had always been, and even Magneto wasn't too proud to realize he'd just been spared. There was one comfort, though: Wanda suspected that Anya was more loyal to her than she was to their father, and that might be the one thing that saved them both in the end.

For Wanda had forgotten all about escaping by herself. She couldn't possibly leave Anya with Magneto. Whether he realized or not, he was using her. She didn't deserve that kind of life, especially not the second time around. If Uncle Chuck had a problem with Anya, well…there were other safe havens for mutants, of that Wanda was certain. And the irony that she was trying to escape from one was not lost on her.

As powerful as both sisters were, though, escaping Magento's grasp never had been and never would be an easy feat. His love for Anya was of the desperate and needy kind, and there was little doubt in Wanda's mind that he would kill to keep her. It was fortunate that Anya didn't quite feel the same way, but that alone was not enough. They would not escape without help, but Wanda didn't dare try to summon her friends with a telepathic message. Caliban would sense them coming at the very least, and Deadpool would just pick them off one by one. And then there was that woman in violet, with eyes that could look straight through you. Wanda had no idea what her mutant power might be, but she had a strong feeling she wouldn't want to find out in a fight.

* * *

_"Jean, take the next left."_

The voice spoke in Jean's head so suddenly, she almost didn't recognize it as Nate's. _"What? Why?"_

_"Someone just told me where Wanda is."_

She shot him a glance from the driver's seat. _"Even if they did, what makes you think we can rescue her? Magneto will be expecting something like this. He might have even had the message sent."_

_"He won't be expecting me or Rachel,"_ Nate replied confidently. _"He doesn't even know we exist."_

_"And I'd like very much to keep it that way, Nate. You don't know what kind of man Magneto is."_

_"I know he's the kind of man that Wanda doesn't like being held prisoner by, and that's enough for me. Either you take the next left, or Rachel and I take it by ourselves."_

Jean stopped the van, all pretenses of keeping the conversation a mental one forgotten. "Nate, walking blindly into danger yourself is one thing, but I will NOT allow you to drag Rachel into it, too!"

"It was my idea," Rachel pointed out helpfully.

Jean ignored her. "No one is going anywhere! You have no idea what you're dealing with here!"

"I was about to tell you the same thing, Dr. Grey," Rachel replied, right before she vanished into thin air.

Nate glanced at her empty seat, and then shrugged helplessly. "Well, I can't let her wander off by herself. It'd be irresponsible."

"NATE!" Jean shouted as he vanished, too.

"They'll be home by dinner," Illyana said after a long moment. "But Rachel says you should cook slow."

* * *

"There are mutants coming," Caliban said, closing his eyes. "Caliban thinks they will try to take Sister-Wanda."

"Oh, good," Deadpool said eagerly, checking the sights on his rifle. "Finally, some action!"

"So Charles has sent his pawns in again," Magneto sighed. "It's unfortunate that Anya had to get rid of Omega Red."

"Speaking of which, I get his pay by default, right?" Deadpool added.

Magneto ignored the mercenary as he donned his helmet. "You two, come with me. This shouldn't take long."

"Hey, how come you're leaving your lady friend behind?"

"She has something much more important to attend to."

* * *

Nate let loose the deep breath he'd been holding as he appeared in the underground cavern. "Thanks for showing me how you 'port, Rach. My way was wasting way too much energy."

"Frankie taught me," Rachel replied. "But how'd you know where to go?"

"Like I told Jean, someone just popped into my head and told me where Wanda was."

"Is it someone we can trust?"

"Probably not. But it's someone who told us the truth; Wanda is here."

"So is something else," Rachel said with a frown. "Something…dark. I don't like it."

"I like it even less. It's with Wanda."

"We better hurry, then." Rachel made a slight motion with her hand, and her body took on a fiery glow.

"How did you…?"

"Tell you later," she said with a little smile, taking his hand and leading him further into the tunnel. "C'mon, this way."

It wasn't long before they came to a tall, steel door.

"They're both in here," Rachel muttered. "I'll get it open."

Before she could, though, the door opened by itself.

"Hey, guys," Wanda said from where she was sitting. "You get kidnapped, too?"

"Nah, we're on rescue detail," Rachel answered. "You okay?"

"A little shaken up, but yeah. How'd you find me?"

"That was my doing," said a voice behind them.

Nate turned, his eyes narrowing as a hooded figure slipped out of the shadows. "You're the one who contacted me."

"Yes. And you came, without having the slightest clue who I was. That was very brave, but foolish."

"When you're as powerful as us, it's not hard to be brave."

"Power is one thing," the woman whispered. "Skill is quite another. I, for example, am quite skilled. Anya, however, is pure power personified."

Rachel suddenly felt a hand on her arm, so she glanced over her shoulder and screamed. "NATE!"

Anya smiled as dark spots began to pepper the air around Rachel.

Nate glared at the little girl. "What do you want?"

The woman smiled slightly. "Assistance, and nothing more."

"Fine, I'll help. Just leave Rachel alone."

"Your first mistake," the woman sighed, "was assuming it was your help I needed." With that, her fist flared violet, and she slammed it into the back of his head.

Nate's eyes rolled up into his head, and he collapsed to the floor, the base of his neck smoking.

"What did you do to him?!" Rachel cried, tears streaming down her face.

"Nothing a few days of rest won't cure," the woman replied. "Now be a good girl and come here."

Rachel hesitantly walked over to her. "He said we'd help! Just tell me what you want!"

"I have, and you are. Take another look at your friend."

Rachel did so, and was shocked to see that Nate was getting to his feet. "Nate…?"

"No," he said, his left eye blazing with telekinetic fire, "not even close."

"You're the other one," she said slowly. "The one deep inside…"

"You're one to talk," he said with an amused smirk. He raised his eyes to the woman. "Do you want to, or should I?" he asked, sensing her intentions in a heartbeat.

"Surrender to the sweet embrace of nothingness, Rachel." The woman pressed her glowing fist against Rachel's neck as well.

Instead of falling as Nate did, though, Rachel's eyes merely widened into a permanently surprised stare.

"She must have been closer to the surface than I was," the other Nate remarked. "Welcome to the world, Phoenix."

* * *

"Scatter!" Logan shouted needlessly as automatic gunfire sprayed the room. Gambit had already grabbed Marrow and ducked out of sight, while Musty took the shape of black puma and easily melted into the darkness. Ernie (now as the hulking monster Hemingway) was far too big to even consider hiding, so it was fortunate that his thick, bony hide made the bullets feel like mosquito bites. He strode forward, seeking to disable their attacker before anyone got hurt.

What he found was a man in a red and black costume, carrying what seemed to be a portable armory on his back.

"Well, you're a big fella," the man remarked, looking him up and down. "But I bet even you can't ignore this." With that, he dropped his gun, pulled what looked like a shotgun out of his pack, and squeezed the trigger.

There was an odd humming noise, and then Hemingway roared in pain as he staggered back, his body writhing in intense pain as it began to shrink in on itself. In a matter of seconds, he was Ernie again, curling up tightly in the fetal position as the man advanced on him with the gun.

"Huh. This anti-mutant weaponry of yours really works," the man commented, lowering the gun.

"So it would seem, Wilson," Magneto replied as he stepped into the cavern. "Ironic that such technology operates on the same principles as Cerebro, but necessary all the same. Now, to deal with his friends." The Master of Magnetism made a slight motion with his hands, and all of Ernie's hidden friends immediately walked out into the open.

"I can't control myself!" Marrow cried, gritting her teeth.

"For future reference," Magneto said calmly, "very few humans have no iron in their bodies. Mutants are rarely the exception. In short, you are all at my mercy…what there is of it."

"Where's Wanda?" Logan growled.

"Safe," Magneto replied simply, raising an eyebrow. "You expect me to believe you have come here solely to retrieve her?"

"Why not? Ain't that why you attacked Xavier's?" Logan snarled at him.

He smiled. "Clever, Logan. I suppose it is possible, then. Not likely, but possible. Unfortunately, Wanda is indefinitely occupied. I will permit you to leave with your lives, if you do so now."

"Not without the girl, Mags," Logan replied firmly.

"She is my daughter," Magneto said coldly.

Logan shook his head. "Only biologically. Truth is, she never would've come on her own, so you had to kidnap her, right? She practically told as much on day one."

"Our situation has changed. You have my word that no harm will come to Wanda while she is in my care. Now leave, before I am tempted to do something that my daughter will resent me for."

"What we do now?" Gambit whispered.

Logan frowned. "No choice, kid. He's got us in a stalemate. Can't move no further than he'll let us." He glared at Magneto and raised his voice. "We leave on one condition. You call Xavier's in two hours. Let 'em see and speak to Wanda alone. Otherwise, we'll be back."

Magneto smirked, obviously not considering that a real threat. "Very well. I suppose she has at least earned phone privileges. Oh, and if you see my son, tell him that all is forgiven." With that, Magneto sent them away (with Deadpool and Caliban as an escort) and went to check on his girls.

What he found was an empty bedroom and a note.

"Dear Erik,

I am truly sorry.

You are obviously no longer the same man I once knew.

I, unfortunately, am the same as I have always been: a traitor.

The girls are safe. Don't bother looking for us.

Sincerely,

Elisabeth"

"This day is yours, my Lady Mandarin," Magneto whispered, his eyes blazing with fury, "but vengeance is mine…"

* * *

Endnotes:

I decided to provide more examples of Rachel's Link Levels (I made up the levels, not the examples).

Level 1 – Nate installing a telepathic command into a Marauder that would make his head explode under certain conditions. (I dunno which issue of X-Man it was, been a while)

Level 2 – The link Psylocke had with Wolverine, generally mentioned in passing.

Level 3 – The rapport Jean established with Scott early in their relationship.

* * *

Next Chapter: The Psychics Three

Who are Phoenix, Psylocke, and Wraith, and what are their plans for the daughters of Magnus?


End file.
